Already Gone:Second Installment to GONE Saga
by SamJayandHolyMae
Summary: The pain that comes with her past drives Leah Clearwater to leave La Push in hopes of finding freedom. Instead, she imprints on a man with a painful past of his own: one he is unwilling to forget in exchange for a future with the one woman willing and able to give him everything. Set in Good As Gone timeline: Annabelle Causley, Jacob Black and the Cullens appear. AU by HolyMae
1. Prologue

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the _Good As Gone_ AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to _Good As Gone_ but it does take place in that alternate storyline.**

**Prologue**

A sob welled up inside her and lodged in her throat as she fought back the tears, but the pain she carried was stronger than her will. She stared out at the crashing waves and setting sun as silent tears rolled down her cheeks, blurring her vision and leaving her feeling raw and exposed.

It was getting harder and harder to live each day when she was always around him, always near enough to smell him, and always able to hear his thoughts and feel his feelings and experience his joys.

Normally, she would have been fine with that mental connection if he was still hers…but he didn't belong to her anymore. Fate had chosen someone else better suited for him than she was, completely disregarding her all consuming love and devotion.

Stuffing her fist into her mouth to keep a sob from escaping, she closed her eyes in an effort to concentrate enough to push the pain away…but she couldn't.

Not when she couldn't get away from him…from her…from all the pitying glances and self-righteous suffering that she read in all their minds in response to her inability to let go of her pain.

They couldn't hide anything from each other, they couldn't keep their secrets, their pains, their fears and doubts to themselves…no, her wounded soul was constantly exposed to them all and she couldn't heal because the one she wished she could hide from the most, the one that she wished she could fool into believing that she was surviving and had moved on was the only one that understood her pain, that felt responsible for having caused it himself.

And even though she loved him with everything in her, she couldn't help but hurt him again and again, reminding him of all his broken promises, all those dreams and plans they had talked of…showing him what his betrayal had done to her.

She couldn't handle it anymore…

Not when he was in love…not when the joy of becoming a father for the first time completely overshadowed his self-inflicted guilt for what he had done to her.

She used to be able to handle her pain because she knew he was hurting along with her…it made it easier to deal with her pain when she wasn't alone…that they still shared something, even if it wasn't as beautiful and precious as the love they had once shared…

But now…now, he couldn't regret what he had done because it had led to what he now had…

It led to the wife he loved with his very soul and the child that was yet to be born…

She was alone, once again, with nothing but her pain to keep her company…

And everyone else knew it.

Pulling her shoes off and stripping down to her underwear, she ran into the ocean, wanting to swim as fast and as far as possible, outrun all her pain and emotions.

She wanted to get away, to be alone, to never have to share her thoughts and feelings with others who couldn't understand.

But she was afraid of the unknown, of separating herself from this co-dependent group that had banded together for the purpose of protecting their home, their people…their very heritage.

She had never left the reservation, had never been far from her mother and brother, had always stayed close to home...loving her roots, her culture, her heritage, her people…loving the very dirt under her feet.

But all that love she had paled in comparison to the aching, gaping hole in her chest. A black hole that was under a constant spotlight for all to see.

But she couldn't take it anymore and yet, she didn't know if she would survive away from the pack…

There was only one person who had left and never returned…maybe he could help her…maybe he would know if it was possible to survive as a lone wolf when she was deeply woven into the tight fabric that was the pack.

She would leave…she would find him…and maybe, just maybe, she would discover freedom from her pain.


	2. Chapter 1

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the _Good As Gone_ AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to _Good As Gone_ but it does take place in that alternate storyline.**

**Chapter One**

"She's gone!"

Everyone inside the Uley's small kitchen looked up as Seth bursted in the door, a letter in his hand, their breakfast forgotten.

"What," Sam's eyebrows lowered in confusion, "Who's gone, Seth?"

"Leah," Seth breathed in deeply, folding over in half. He had ran across the reservation towards Sam's without phasing, just realizing how much easier it was to run four legged than two; "She's gone. We woke up this morning and found her room empty and this letter in the kitchen table."

Sam sucked in a breath as he reached for the letter, throwing out orders before he even read it, "Jared, Quil, Embry, phase down and fan out…try to track her down."

"You won't –"

The three were out the door before Seth was able to finish his sentence. Seth shook his head as he turned to look at Sam, the words coming out of his mouth dying as he saw the look on Sam's face while he read the letter.

_**Dear Mom and Seth,**_

_**I'm sorry that I had to tell you about my leaving this way. I couldn't wait around for you to be awake because I was afraid you or Seth or someone in the pack would try to talk me into staying.**_

_**I have to go…try to find some peace on my own. I can't do that when I'm here in the reservation.**_

_**I will call when I make my first stop, let you know how everything is going. Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine once I find what I am looking for. **_

_**Love you both,**_

_**Leah**_

"Why would she do this," Sam muttered as he looked up from the letter at Seth, his dark eyes filled with pain Seth couldn't understand, "Why would she leave without telling us?"

"Sam, you know why," Seth shook his head as he turned to look at Emily, watching her step out of the kitchen towards the living room, her hand over her growing belly, "She didn't handle the news about you being a father as well as we had all hoped. And you weren't as contained about how happy you were as you thought."

"We have to find her…I have to talk to her."

"We can't find her," Quil walked into the house, wearing nothing but jeans.

"That's because she didn't phase and runaway," Seth rolled his eyes as he moved to head out back to his house, "She took mom's car. We won't be able to find her unless we figure out where she would be heading."

"Your mom's car," Sam's eyebrows lowered in a sudden display of anger, "Seth, you stay here. I'm going to go talk to your mom."

* * *

Sue Clearwater leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes as she flashed back to earlier that same morning, a sigh escaping her at the sadness weighing on her shoulders, sadness she carried on her daughter's behalf.

"_Leah?"_

"_Mama," Leah looked up towards the front door, her eyes filling with tears as she dropped the duffel bag she had been about to stuff into the trunk of her little Toyota, "I was...I left a letter in the kitchen table. I didn't want to wake you."_

_Sue stared deep into her daughter's eyes and knew that the worst thing she could do was convince Leah to stay in La Push. Without a word, she turned around to go back into the house in search of her purse._

_When she returned outside, she found Leah leaning against the side of her car, her duffel bag still on the ground, her face raw from tears she had scrubbed away._

"_Here," Sue handed her a set of keys, her voice devoid of the pain she felt at the idea of having her oldest child leave, "Take my car."_

"_But mama, my car –"_

"_Needs new tires. I replaced the tires on the Mercury three months ago…and I filled up the gas tank yesterday afternoon on my way back from Charlie's. Take this too," Sue handed her daughter a credit card she had just gotten the week before, "In case of an emergency."_

"_Mama," Leah took the credit card, slipping it into the front pocket of her jeans before throwing her arms around her mother, "Thank you. I'll call you when I stop to fill up."_

"_Please drive safe, Leah," Sue kissed her daughter's cheek as she tightened her arms around her before letting go, "And I hope you find what you're looking for."_

"_I do too," Leah sighed before she grabbed her duffel bag and headed towards her mother's Mercury without a backward glance, knowing herself enough to know that if she saw her mother's tears and pain, she wouldn't be strong enough to leave. _

_Sue stood on the front porch and watched her daughter drive away until she couldn't see the taillights anymore. Leaning against the doorframe, she whispered a prayer for her daughter, "Please, God, please help her find peace. Please help her be whole again. And if it's meant to be, please let her find someone that would love her the way she deserves to be loved."_

"You let her go, didn't you?"

Sue turned to look at Sam as he filled her doorway, his eyes angry and waves of unexplained betrayal rolling off of him.

"She left around 2:30 this morning," Sue closed her eyes, fighting back tears as she wondered if she would ever see her little girl again, "I let her take my car since hers' needed new tires."

"Why would you let her go," Sam took a step further into the house, restraining himself as he handed the letter to Sue, "What could she possibly find out there that she doesn't have here?"

"Peace," Sue glared up at Sam as she took the letter from him, her jaw tight with anger, "Someone that might understand her. Freedom from all the pain she's been carrying around with her in the past two years. A place to belong."

"She belongs here…with m –with us," Sam's jaw tightened as he realized what he had been about to say, hoping Sue hadn't caught it but it wasn't to be so.

"You meant with you, Sam," Sue pushed herself off the couch, taking a step towards Sam, "You just can't let her go…you won't let her go. You have a wife and will soon have a baby of your own. Are you really expecting Leah to just stand by and pine away for you? You can't have them both, Sam. It's one or the other. Don't you think Leah deserves to find some peace, some happiness, maybe even someone who will love her the way she deserves to be loved? She can't find any of that here, not when you're a part of her life all day, every day. Let her go…be happy with what you have."

Sam breathed in deep through his nose, fisting his hands to control his anger as he turned away and headed into the woods. It wouldn't do to go home to Emily feeling this angry…feeling this betrayed.

He ran through the woods towards the mountains, wanting to release the tension running through his body by exhausting himself.

He knew Sue was right…he couldn't keep holding on to Leah when he had Emily.

What Sue, or Leah for that matter, didn't know was that he still loved her. Except his love for her was overshadowed by the unexplainable love that came along with imprinting on Emily

He hated himself for what he had done to her but he had had no choice. He fought it, knowing that it would be unfair to turn his back on Leah, but it hadn't been effective.

He hadn't been able to deny himself, couldn't cut himself away from the one that held him in place. Emily was the gravity that kept him from flying off into nothingness; she was his reason for existing, for being what he was. She was his center, his foundation, his very soul.

But in discovering that, he had to hurt the girl he had given his heart to…but in the end, his heart wasn't what defined him…it was his soul…and that belonged to Emily.

Reaching the cave where they had hid Bella Swan from the redheaded bloodsucker, he turned to look out at the view, crossing his arms over his chest, the plain dark t-shirt he was wearing stretching tight over his shoulders…

How he wished she had talked to him, told him she needed to leave, to find whatever it was that she was looking for. He knew he would have been able to convince her to stay, knew that he would have made promises he wouldn't be able to keep just so she wouldn't leave.

Maybe she had done what was right, sneaking off in the middle of the night without telling anyone. Maybe she would find something to replace the hole in her life he had left behind.

And maybe, he would be able to let her go…finally…

* * *

Emily looked up from the baby blanket she was knitting; she quickly took notice that it was past eleven as Sam walked into the living room, t-shirt wet with sweat, evident exhaustion riding him hard.

"Where have you been," Emily placed the needles and yarn back in the wicker basket she kept on the floor near the couch, pushing herself out of the couch. Although she was only four months pregnant, she was getting pretty big really fast and it was starting to slow her down.

"Around," Sam moved across the small living room to help her up, "Ran up the mountain then headed around to talk to the other guys…let them know what was going on with Leah."

"So what is going on with Leah," Emily looked up into Sam's eyes in time to see a flash of pain.

"Sue said she left sometime around two thirty this morning. Took Sue's car. She didn't say where she was heading. Hopefully she'll call soon and let her know how she is doing."

"How are you doing," Emily dropped his hand as she walked around him to head towards the kitchen.

"What do you mean," Sam crossed his arms as he watched Emily putter around the kitchen, grabbing stuff to make him a sandwich even though he hadn't asked for one, "I'm alright. There's nothing wrong with me."

"Are you sure," Emily took down a plate before putting together a turkey sandwich with mayonnaise and mustard, extra tomatoes, extra turkey and sliced cucumbers on whole wheat bread, "You seemed pretty shook up this morning when Seth showed up with that letter. Almost angry…maybe even hurt."

"What are you getting at, Emily," Sam moved around the table to pull out a chair to sit in. Emily placed the plate before him, one hand on the back of the chair next to Sam's, the other on her distended belly.

"I know you still love her Sam," Emily closed her eyes as Sam pulled her into his lap; "She's the girl you chose to give your heart to. If you had been able to choose, you and I wouldn't be together. I understand that. I just wish you would stop pretending otherwise."

"I love you Emily," Sam wrapped his arms around his wife, kissing her jaw, "You know that, right?"

"I know," Emily cupped his jaw to look deep into his eyes, "And I love you. That's why I'm okay with you being honest with me…about everything."

Sam breathed in deeply as he rested his forehead against the side of her neck, "Right…I'm angry at her Emily. I know I don't have a right to be…not after what I did to her even…even if I didn't mean to. But the least she could have done was tell me."

"She did, Sam," Emily ran her fingers through his hair, brushing her lips on his forehead, "For the past two years, Leah has been trying to let go…but she can't when she's around you all the time. And I know you've tried making it easier for her but it hasn't worked. She needed to get away…from you…from the pack…from me. I just hope this time apart will help you too."

"I do too, Em," Sam kissed her softly, placing his hand on her pregnant belly, "But most of all, I hope Leah finds happiness again. And that I'm able to deal with it if it happens."

"When it happens."


	3. Chapter 2

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_**Good As Gone**_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_**Good As Gone**_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Two**

"_He's staring at you."_

"_Who," Leah tucked a lock of straight sable brown hair behind her ear as she looked across the lunch table at her friends Sadie and Meredith._

"_Oh please, as if you didn't know," Meredith rolled her brown eyes in exasperation as she bit into an apple, "Sam Uley, that's who."_

"_Oh."_

"_Oh," Sadie's gray-green eyes twinkled with merriment as she opened her can of pop, "Is that all you have to say? You've been crazy about him for several months now."_

_Leah simply smiled at Sadie as she munched on a potato chip, looking out of the corner of her eyes as Sam walked by their table, giving her a smile that made her heart beat harder. Sadie was wrong…she hadn't been crazy about Sam Uley for several months…more like three years._

_All three sat silently while Sam moved further away from their table, Meredith and Sadie giving Leah huge grins, "Oh my God. He totally likes you!"_

"_Shut up," Leah grimaced at them, looking over her shoulder to see if Sam had heard anything. She bit her lip as she watched him approach his friends, breathing in deeply when he turned to look at her, a smile on his lips and obvious interest in his dark eyes._

_Blushing deeply, she smiled back at him before turning back to her friends, her lunch forgotten as butterflies created havoc in her stomach._

_It seemed that maybe her friends were right…maybe Sam Uley was finally seeing her as something more than just a little girl._

Leah checked her gas gauge and realized she was only down half a tank and had finally gotten out of Washington and into Idaho. She knew she could make it to the next small town in Montana to fill up and call her mother.

Sighing, she changed the radio station until she found some innocuous music and allowed her mind to drift again.

"_You're Leah Clearwater, right?"_

_Leah looked away from the setting sun and crashing waves and up into Sam Uley's face, a smile slowly spreading across her face, "You know, as a pick up line, that kind of needs work."_

"_It was the best I could come up with," Sam shrugged, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "May I join you?"_

"_Sure," Leah slid across the smooth log she had been sitting on, "So what are you doing here?"_

"_Would you believe me if I said I was just walking around," Sam grinned at her, his dark eyes filled with promises of an unknown nature. _

_Leah smiled at him as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Not for a minute."_

"_Alright," Sam looked down at his hands, which were locked between his knees, "I went by your house and your mom told me you were here."_

"_My house," Leah's face pinked with pleasure as she looked into his eyes, "Why would you go by my house?"_

"_To see if your mom would go to the movies with me this weekend," Sam reached up to push aside a strand of hair that the breeze had blown into her face, "Why do you think I would go to your house?"_

_They stared into each other's eyes as the breeze moved around them, the crashing waves fading as Sam leaned in close, brushing his lips across hers, "Did you know your eyes have green in them?"_

"_No," Leah tried hard to keep her breath steady and her heart from beating out of her chest but when he looked at her with those dark eyes, so intense and full of a danger she wanted to explore further, she didn't know how to keep either steady._

Leah screwed the gas cap back on and headed into the store, wanting to buy more snacks for the next stretch of her road trip.

On her way out, she shifted through the change in her hand before moving towards the pay phone on the end of the sidewalk, dialing her home number out of memory.

"Hi mama," Leah leaned against the side of the phone, glad her mother had been home to pick up the phone, "I'm alright. Just stopped to fill up on gas and get some snacks. I'm in Missoula. Yeah, Montana. It took most of the day to get out of Washington and Idaho went by in a flash. Yeah, I went through Seattle and took highway 90 outside of Ellensburg. I'm not sure where I'm heading yet. The car is fine. I'll give you a call on my next stop, okay?"

_Leah bit her lip as she flipped through the clothes in her closet, unsure of what to wear for her first date with Sam. _

"_Leah, Sam's here," her mother's voice preceded her before she opened the door to her bedroom, "Are you ready?"_

"_No," Leah walked out of her small walk in closet in nothing but her boy-cut cotton underwear and a matching camisole, "What is he wearing?"_

"_Jeans and a t-shirt," Sue crossed her arms as she leaned against the doorframe, "You two are going to a movie. Go casual."_

_Leah smiled as she quickly pulled on a pair of washed out dark jeans and pulled on a short sleeved light blue tank top before slipping on matching flats, "What do you think?"_

"_I think you look beautiful," Sue smiled at her daughter as she watched her run a brush through her hair before pulling it back into a low ponytail, "You should hurry…he's waiting downstairs with your father."_

"_Oh boy," Leah rushed out of the room and down the stairs in time to listen to her father ask Sam if he liked to fish, "Hey daddy. You're being nice, right?"_

"_Of course I am," Harry Clearwater stood up from the lounge chair he had been sitting on and looked his daughter from head to toe, unsure if he was ready to let her start dating, "Just getting to know Sam Uley a bit more."_

"_Right," Leah smiled at her father, quickly kissing his cheek and waiving goodbye to her mother as she grabbed Sam's hand and pulled him out of the chair he had been sitting on, "We're going to the movies. Don't wait up."_

"_We'll be back before eleven, Mr. Clearwater," Sam called over his shoulder, smiling at both of Leah's parents._

"_You make sure of that, Sam," Harry walked behind them, Sue by his side, as they got into Sam's little blue Honda._

"_Sam, Leah," Seth ran around the house, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes, "Can I go with you?"_

_Leah smiled at her little brother, reaching out to tousle his hair, "Next time, okay, Seth?"_

"_Really?" Seth looked up at Leah with big brown eyes that she couldn't say no to._

"_Really," Leah looked over her shoulder at Sam, "Right Sam?"_

"_Yeah," Sam grinned at Leah's little brother, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand, "You can come with us next time."_

_Reaching around her, he opened the passenger door for her, his eyes bright with satisfaction and a self-pleased smile stretching across his handsome face. _

_Leah shook her head as she got into the car, realizing why Sam looked so satisfied and pleased with himself._

"_So we're going to have a second date, huh," Sam looked over at her after closing his door, snapping on his safety belt, waiting for her to put on hers before turning on the car, "And we haven't even gotten started on the first one."_

"_Don't look so pleased with yourself," Leah tried unsuccessfully not to smile at him, "That second date isn't for me, it's for Seth."_

"_I see," Sam headed towards Port Angeles, one hand on the wheel and the other reaching out to take her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers, "So I'm taking your brother out next. That could be awkward."_

_Leah laughed, her heart beating fast, loving the way Sam's large hand seemed to swallow her smaller one, "I'll go with you two so it won't be so strange."_

"_Well, that's real nice of you," Sam turned to look at her, watching how the rays of the setting sun washed across her beautiful cinnamon brown skin, "And Leah?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Thanks for agreeing to the date," Sam moved her hand towards his face, pressing his warm lips against the back of her hand, "You won't regret it."_

"_I know I won't."_


	4. Chapter 3

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_**Good As Gone**_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_**Good As Gone**_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Three**

"Just one night, miss?"

"Yes," Leah handed her credit card to the front desk receptionist of the first small motel she had spotted entering Billings, Montana. She had wanted to keep on driving but realized how foolish it would be to drive when she was exhausted and distraught.

"That'll be ninety dollars," the desk clerk took the card and quickly swiped it, pushing a pen and the merchant's copy of the receipt along with a card key, "Room 15A."

"Thank you," Leah quickly signed the receipt and took her card and key, walking out of the small motel lobby, quickly moving her car to park in front of her rented room. She quickly grabbed her duffel bag, wanting to shower and get in bed as soon as possible so she could get up early and continue on her trip. She saw a pay phone down the walkway of the corner of her eye and knew she should call her mother.

"Hi mama," Leah leaned against the side of the pay phone, dropping the heavy duffel bag at her feet, "Just thought I'd call before I turned in for the night. At a small roadside motel in Billings, Montana. I'm taking highway 94 tomorrow morning. Not sure yet. Don't worry, mama, I'll be careful. I love you too."

"_So come on," Sadie dropped her books down on the living room floor, "Tell us about your date with Sam. How did it go?"_

_Meredith collapsed onto the sofa, tucking her feet under her, "We've been dying to hear about it since you told us he asked you out."_

_Leah walked in from the kitchen, an apple in hand. They were meeting for their weekly study session, which they took turns at meeting in each other's house every week, but it looked like Sadie and Meredith had other thoughts in their heads that had nothing to do with trigonometry, world history and biology. _

"_We went to Port Angeles for a movie," Leah bit into her apple, dropping onto the floor to sit Indian style, "We watched that funny movie that just came out."_

"_Forget the movie," Sadie stretched out on the carpet, grabbing the first notebook she laid her hand on, "Did he hold your hand? Did he kiss you? Did you guys make out during the movie?"_

"_No," Leah shook her head as she grabbed her book bag and dragged it across the carpet towards her, "I mean, yeah, he held my hand but we didn't kiss or make out. We watched the movie and shared popcorn…he let me have all the buttered spots."_

"_That is the sweetest thing ever," Meredith leaned down to pull up her leather back-pack, pulling out her biology book, "He's definitely sweet on you."_

"_So you guys didn't have a first kiss," Sadie frowned as she realized that she had her math notebook in front of her and it looked like the other two were wanting to start with biology, "Bummer."_

"_Oh, we already had a first kiss."_

"_What!" Both Sadie and Meredith exclaimed, looking up at Leah, who was smiling in satisfaction, "Why didn't you tell us? We want to hear about everything! When did it happen? Where did it happen? What was it like?"_

"_Okay, okay, okay, let me talk," Leah laughed as she took another bite of her apple, "It happened at the beach, the day he asked me out. We were sitting on one of the logs talking and he pushed my hair over my shoulder, kissed me softly and then asked if I knew there was green in my eyes."_

"_Wow," Meredith paged through her biology book, searching for the chapter they had been assigned, "Sounds like you're falling for him."_

"_Maybe a little," Leah blushed as she paged through her book, "He's a charmer."_

"_Be careful, Leah," Sadie gave her a serious look as she pulled out highlighters and pens, "Don't fall too hard too fast. Sam may be a charmer but there's something about him that makes me think there's more to him than what meets the eye."_

"_Oh, Sadie, don't be such a wet blanket," Meredith threw a couch pillow at Sadie, "I think he's absolutely adorable. He definitely likes you, Leah."_

"_Yeah, I think so too," Leah bit her lip as she twisted around to stretch out on her stomach on the floor, "We're going to the beach next weekend."_

"_A second date," Meredith exclaimed with excitement for her friend, "That's great!"_

"_We promised Seth he could come along," Leah laughed at the look of disappointment on her friends' faces, "It's not that bad. I'm sure we'll all have a lot of fun."_

"_Well, then, the possibility of something happening with Sam is definitely much smaller if you have your little brother along."_

"_Oh, I'm sure that won't stop him if he decides he wants to do something," Leah grinned as she opened her notebook, "But enough about Sam. Time to study biology."_

Leah splashed cold water on her face, glancing away from the bedraggled reflection of her face in the mirror, rubbing a hand across her face before taking her toiletries out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, where she packed them into the duffel bag.

She hadn't slept much throughout the night, the same nightmare that plagued her since Sam left her for Emily had left her tossing throughout the night until she finally awoke around four in the morning, sobs choking her as tears ran down her face

It had taken half an hour to release her tears and grief and after that, she decided that since she couldn't sleep, she might as well just pack everything up and get on the road.

"_Sam, Seth's right over the ridge," Leah pushed Seth away, trying her hardest not to smile, not wanting to encourage his goofy behavior._

"_So," Sam laughed as he reached out to pull her into his arms, only to have her dodge him, "I just want to hug you. What's the big deal with that?"_

"_Just that I'm getting to know you," Leah ran up ahead of him, speeding up as she looked over her shoulder to see him coming after her._

_Sam laughed as he chased her into the ocean, the waves crashing around them, cold and salty, but neither of them was paying attention to that because they were too busy playing catch in the water. _

_Leah laughed as Sam lunged for her, twisting to the side at the last moment, which resulted in Sam taking a head first plunge into the waves._

"_You are so going to pay for that," Sam spit out salt water as he pushed himself onto his feet, going after Leah at full speed._

_Leah squealed as she sped up, her feet digging into the wet sand, leaving behind deep footprints that the waves quickly erased just to be replaced by Sam's. _

_A screamed escaped her when her feet suddenly left the sand, Sam's arms around her waist as he twisted in the air to land on his back, his arms still tight around her waist._

"_I can't believe you just tackled me," Leah tried to wiggle out of Sam's arms, but he wouldn't let her go, simply giving her enough room so she could turn to face him, "You just had to get your way, didn't you?"_

"_If by my way you mean hugging you," Sam kissed her cheek before sitting up, pulling her with him, "Yes, I did. I usually like getting my way. And it will be much easier for you if you just go ahead and let me have my way."_

"_It would be, wouldn't it," Leah pushed back her damp hair, tucking the strands behind her ears, "But I'm not the kind of girl to make things easy on a guy."_

"_Well, that's good," Sam kept one arm around her shoulders, running his fingers through his dripping wet shoulder length black hair, pushing it away from his face, "Because I like a challenge."_

"_Is that why you're dating me," Leah turned her brown eyes towards him, looking into his nearly black eyes, "Because I'm a challenge?"_

"_No," Sam smiled as he leaned into Leah, kissing the tip of her nose, "I'm dating you because I like you. And I think you like me too."_

"_You do, uh," Leah smiled at him, her face getting warm under his intense gaze, "You sound very sure of yourself."_

"_Well, I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I'm sure enough to stick around if you'll let me," Sam ran a finger across her jaw and under her chin, tilting her head up as he slowly leaned in closer, brushing his lips softly over hers, softly nipping her bottom lip, "Will you let me?"_

_Leah smiled, his lips moving along with hers, "I'll let you stick around…you're good at keeping my brother entertained." _

_Sam chuckled as he cupped the back of her neck, deepening the kiss slowly, his tongue sliding across her bottom lip before pushing against her teeth, asking for permission to enter. Leah sighed as she let her head fall back against his shoulder, her lips parting in response to his appeal, her heart beating fast and heavy._

"_Leah," Sam whispered against her mouth, his fingers sliding through her drying hair, the tresses straight and silky in between his fingers, "Was that your first kiss?"_

"_No," Leah ducked her head, trying not to blush, "My first kiss was the other day, here at the beach…when you asked me out."_

"_Oh."_

Dickinson, North Dakota flew by as she drove through the town, loud country music surrounding her as she continued down the road, quickly checking her map and making the decision to stop at Fargo, North Dakota for gas and for lunch. Maybe even call her mother, see how she was doing…perhaps talk to Seth…if he wasn't out with the pack doing their thing.

Maybe she would call Sam, apologize for having left without telling him…or maybe she wouldn't…


	5. Chapter 4

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_**Good As Gone**_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_**Good As Gone**_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Four**

"I'm in Minneapolis…yes; I'll spend the night here. I left Billings around 4:30 in the morning and drove through North Dakota. I stopped for gas in Fargo. It's a pretty state. I can't believe you're never been out of La Push, mama. So how's everything going there? Is Seth around? That's too bad. Oh…no I don't want to talk to him…please don't tell him where I'm at –"

"Lee-lee?"

Leah hung the phone up, her heart hammering in her chest as she rested her forehead against the cold metal of the phone booth. She hadn't wanted to hear his voice but he had been quicker than her mother.

"_Lee-lee."_

_Leah turned away from her locker to look at a grinning Sam, her eyebrows raised in question._

"_What did you call me?"_

"_Lee-lee."_

"_Why?"_

"_Well," Sam reached out to undo the braid draped over her shoulder, " We've been dating for four months. I thought I should come up with a nickname for you. Your dad calls you princess," Sam grinned at the grimace on Leah's face, "Your mom calls you sweetie and Seth calls you Lee. I thought I'd come up with a nickname of my own. Don't you like it?"_

_Leah gave him a playful frown as she stepped into his arms, "I don't know. I think it may take some convincing on your part."_

_Sam hummed deep in his throat as he dipped his head, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "Lee-lee."_

_Leah shivered, laughing as she watched tiny goose bumps appear on her arms in reaction to Sam's whisper –who was she kidding? It was all Sam…it was always all Sam._

"_I think you like it," Sam brushed his lips over hers before stepping back, "Now, my darling Lee-lee, may I walk you to your next class?"_

"_You may."_

_Sam reached over her head to close her locker before taking her backpack in one hand and her hand in the other, their fingers lacing tightly together._

"_So your dad invited me to go fishing this weekend," Sam laughed as a pained look flashed over her face, "Seth's coming along too."_

"_Dad just wants to get you alone where mom won't be supervising," Leah looked up at Sam, her brown-green eyes begging him to understand, "Whatever he does or says, I apologize ahead of time. He's just being overprotective…he's scary when he does that. Please don't –"_

"_Don't worry," he whispered as he pressed his lips against hers to quiet her, "Nothing's going to scare me away from you. Besides, I understand where your dad is coming from. If you were my girl, I'd be scary overprotective too."_

"_If I were your girl," Leah gave him a questioning look, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth._

"_That's right," Sam stopped outside of her classroom, wrapping his arm around her waist as he pulled her in closer, kissing her cheek, "You are my girl. And if any guy looks at you, I'll bite their head off."_

_Leah couldn't keep from laughing even as he moved his mouth over hers, sliding his tongue over her bottom lip before deepening the kiss._

"_No PDA in the hallways," Mr. Hastings stepped out of his classroom, giving them both a look, "Thank you for walking Miss Clearwater to her class, Mr. Uley. You should head to yours before you're late."_

"_Yes, sir," Sam handed over her backpack, dropping a kiss on her forehead before heading back down the hallway, smiling over his shoulder one last time before sprinting down the hallway._

"_Well, Miss Clearwater," Mr. Hastings crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the doorframe as he raised a dark eyebrow up, "Are you coming in? I can't start class without you, now can I?"_

"_No sir," Leah smiled nervously as she walked into the classroom, "At least not today."_

Leah sat up in bed, turning to look at the digital clock on the hotel bedside table, running her fingers through her hair, which was a couple inches longer than her customary bob. Drawing her knees up against her chest, she rested her chin against them and stared at the woodland scenic painting across the room, wishing she could phase and run until she dropped from exhaustion, but she knew if she did that, the pack would be able to know exactly where she was. She wouldn't put it past Sam to have the brothers' phase around the clock to locate her if she phased. She knew she wasn't far away enough where they couldn't hear her thoughts or even sense her…she had to wait a little longer...if at that.

She had been trying to will herself to sleep for the past three hours, but all she could hear was Sam's voice calling her by that nickname he had given her, the nickname she had learned to love because every time he said it, whispered it, or yelled it for that matter, she had known he truly loved her…

And now it seemed to mock her.

"_What's this," Leah looked up from the dozen peach roses Sam was offering her, a smile on his face._

"_A rose for every month we've been together," Sam stepped closer, crushing the roses between them as he kissed her, wrapping his free arm around her waist. _

"_We've been together for a year," Leah pulled back, smiling up at him as she reached down to touch the silky petals of the peach roses, "I can't believe it's been that long."_

"_Why not," Sam slid his fingers into her hair, cupping the back of her head, "Did you think I wouldn't stick around as long as a year?"_

"_No, that's not what I meant. It's just –"_

"_It's just that I'm sixteen and you're fifteen, and teenage relationships don't last that long. Lee-lee, I'm in this for the long run."_

"_How long is this run," Leah looked up at him through her eyelashes, a small smile on her lips, "If you don't mind my asking, that is."_

"_This would be one of those marathons…you know the ones that are fun to start, hard to continue, and damn satisfying to finish," Sam laughed at the look of confusion on her face before kissing her again, "What I'm saying is, I'm in this until the end."_

"_The end being…"_

"_I don't know," Sam shrugged, resting his forehead against hers, "Fifty years from now?"_

"_So you're planning on breaking up with me when you're sixty-six," Leah laughed as Sam grimaced at her lousy joke, "I'm just kidding. But I get you. And I'm with you…for the long run."_

"_A marathon it is!" Sam pulled her close, picked her up and spinned her around, the peach roses crushed beyond recognition between them as he kissed her again, "And to celebrate our one year anniversary, we are heading to Port Angeles for dinner. And then I have a gift for you."_

"_You mean something other than the roses," Leah smiled up at him as she stepped away, taking the roses with her, "I don't really need anything more."_

"_Too bad," Sam kissed her forehead, "Because you're getting something more."_


	6. Chapter 5

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_**Good As Gone**_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_**Good As Gone**_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Five**

Leah leaned against the side of her car, surveying the road map she had spread out over the hood of the car. She had only been able to get five hours of sleep before the same old nightmare came creeping in, waking her up to find herself in tears once again.

Sighing, she shook her head, trying to concentrate on the map before her. She was leaving Minneapolis and she couldn't decide whether to drive on to Wisconsin then down to Illinois or just take the highway down to Iowa and into Illinois. Digging her hand into the front pocket of her jeans, she pulled out a quarter, wishing all decisions in life were as easy as assigning heads to Iowa and tails to Wisconsin.

Flipping the quarter into the air, she watched as it landed on its edge on the hood, spinning a few times before stopping.

"Story of my life," she muttered as she yanked the map off the hood, the quarter falling onto the ground, heads up, "That's more like it."

Folding the road map, she bent over to pick up the quarter before getting into the car, ready to get on the road.

"_I can't believe you two have been together for a year," Meredith took a sip from the soda can in her hand, sitting Indian style on the floor of Sadie's bedroom._

"_I said the same thing to him," Leah laughed as she flopped onto Sadie's twin size bed, causing Sadie to yelp as she smeared nail polish across her toes._

"_Leah! Look what you made me do," Sadie growled as she grabbed the bottle of nail polish remover and q-tips from her bedside table._

"_Sorry," Leah grinned at Meredith as they both tried not to laugh, knowing it would make an angry Sadie angrier._

"_So what did Sam say when you said you couldn't believe how long you've been together," Meredith stretched out her legs, placing the half empty can of soda under the bed and out of the way of being knocked over._

"_He got all bent out of shape," Leah flipped onto her back, being careful not to disturb Sadie again, "He was real sweet…told me he was in for the long run…he called it a marathon, actually."_

"_Oh! That is so romantic!"_

"_How is that romantic," Sadie looked up from her toes, the nail polish brush poised over her little toe, "Comparing a relationship to a marathon?"_

"_Marathons are about endurance," Leah looked over at Sadie, trying not to feel hurt over her friend's skeptical attitude towards her relationship with Sam, "According to Sam, it's about starting strong, sticking it out during the tough times, and finishing with a flourish."_

"_So he's basically talking about marriage," Sadie cocked an eyebrow, obvious disbelief coloring the tone of her words._

"_He hasn't mentioned the word marriage, but yeah, that's what he means," Leah pushed herself off the bed, unable to be near Sadie any longer._

"_Has he told you he loved you yet," Sadie resumed applying polish to her toenails, having to peel off the rubbery layer of dried polish off the brush first._

"_No, he hasn't. And I haven't told him I loved him either," Leah pulled out Sadie's rolling desk chair to sit on, "What is your problem, Sadie?"_

"_What do you mean," Sadie kept her eyes trained on her feet, feeling apprehensive about sharing her feelings concerning Sam with Leah._

"_You know what I mean," Leah crossed her arms over her chest as she slouched down on the chair, "Ever since Sam and I started going out, you've been all negative and stuff. Do you not like Sam?"_

"_I like Sam just fine," Sadie placed the brush back into the nail polish bottle, screwing it tight before placing it into the bag where she kept all her nail polish, "I just think he's bad news, that's all."_

"_Why," Leah turned to look at Meredith, who shrugged in confusion, wanting to stay out of this conversation, "He hasn't done anything wrong. He's a smart guy who's really nice to everyone. What has he done to make you think he's bad news?"_

"_It's not what he's done," Sadie snapped before closing her mouth with a snap, her eyes wide at what she had just said._

"_What do you mean by that, Sadie," Leah couldn't help but feel compassion for her friend, her demeanor making it clear to all of them that this was something that weighed heavily on Sadie's shoulders._

"_Look," Sadie sighed as she got up off her bed and walked towards the door, looking out to make sure her younger brother, Embry, wasn't outside eavesdropping…something she knew he did even though she never caught him red-handed, "You have to promise you won't repeat anything I say to anyone…especially to Sam."_

"_I don't like keeping secrets from Sam," Leah muttered as she shifted in her chair, feeling uncomfortable._

"_I promise I won't say anything, but I have to ask," Meredith pushed herself up into a sitting position, "Is this going to be one of those secrets that will forever change the way we look at each other?"_

_They all laughed, the tension draining out of all of them as Sadie moved back towards the bed, "No…at least I don't think it is. Leah, please promise me you won't tell Sam. Besides, it's not your place to tell him what I am about to share with you."_

"_Okay, fine," Leah grumbled as she folded her legs under her, "I won't tell Sam."_

"_Okay," Sadie took a deep breath as she prepared herself to share the one secret she had never told anyone…even her own mother, "You know how my dad's never been around?"_

"_Yeah," Meredith and Leah answered simultaneously, both of them curious about Sadie's line of conversation due to the fact that she never talked about her father._

"_I mean, my brother and I have never even met him," Sadie pushed her black hair out of her face, savagely twisting it into a knot at the base of her neck, "And mother won't talk about him. She never says anything about him, but I know he's probably a low-down cheating jerk who got my mother pregnant, twice, and just took off before either one of us was old enough to remember him."_

"_Understandable," Meredith nodded, wrapping her arms around her upraised knees and resting her chin on them, her brown eyes filled with compassion and understanding._

"_Well," Sadie twisted her fingers together, looking everywhere but at Leah, "I had to do a report for a history class about my family…which included a family tree. I didn't want to be the freak with a question mark where my dad and his side of the family were supposed to be, so I asked my mom about him, even though I knew she wouldn't tell me. So I went through her closet while she was at work…and I found a box full of unopened letters…and a picture."_

"_Did you read the letters," Leah asked, running her fingers through her hair, wondering what all this had to do with Sadie not liking Sam._

"_No," Sadie shook her head, "And I didn't know who the man in the picture was either…until we moved here that is."_

"_So who was it," Meredith couldn't take much of the suspense that Sadie was spinning, although not purposefully._

"_It was Sam…well, someone who looks a lot like Sam. I think it may be Sam's father."_

"_Joshua Uley," Leah sat up straight in her chair, suddenly aware of why Sadie felt the way she did about Sam, "Are you saying your father is that low-down jerk that left Sam and his mom when he was a kid?"_

"_I'm not a hundred percent sure, but why else would my mom keep his picture and letters that were addressed to him and returned unopened?"_

"_Are you saying Sam's your half-brother," Meredith turned to look at Leah then back at Sadie, "That you two are actually related?"_

"_We might be."_

"_You don't like Sam because of what his father did?" Leah stood up and walked towards the window, "I don't see how you could blame Sam for that. It's not like he grew up with his father while you didn't. He doesn't know his father either."_

"_Yeah, I know," Sadie, shoved her hands into her hair, tucking her feet under her now that the nail polish on her toes was dry, "It makes no sense, and I'm sorry. I do like Sam, it's just that…well, I don't think you should let yourself completely trust him so soon…and not just because of his father but because you can't really know for sure if he would keep his promises. I don't want to see you hurt Leah. I've had to watch my mom live her life with a broken heart because promises made to her weren't kept. I definitely don't want that to happen to you. I care about you. You're one of my best friends."_

"_Sadie," Leah moved to sit next to her, wrapping her arms around her, "Don't worry about me. I appreciate that you care so much about me and don't want me to get hurt, but I know that I can trust Sam. He'll do everything in his power to keep his promises…and I know for a fact that he would rather hurt himself than to ever hurt me. Trust me…Sam's the one for me."_


	7. Chapter 6

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Sorry it's taken so long. I've recently moved back to my parents' place and am still looking for a job, bills piling up and now it looks like my car's on the fritz. At least I can escape into a world I can control with this story.**

**Chapter Six**

"_Sam."_

"_Uh?"_

"_Sam," Leah shook Sam's shoulder, "Wake up."_

"_What?"_

"_You fell asleep," Leah brushed her fingers over his cheek before pushing herself into a sitting position, "The movie wasn't even halfway through."_

"_I'm sorry," Sam pushed himself up onto his elbow, running his fingers through his shoulder length hair to push it out of his face, "I haven't been sleeping well lately. Don't know why, but I've been having some pretty weird dreams."_

"_My parents will be home in half an hour, so you'll have to tell me about your dreams later," Leah smiled at him as he shifted to sit behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist and pulling her onto his lap, "Thank you for coming over to help baby-sit Seth."_

"_Sure…your kid brother's kind of fun," Sam kissed her cheek, his lips moving down to her jaw and up to her ear, "And he wouldn't appreciate you calling him a kid."_

"_That's why you're not going to tell him," Leah tried to push herself out of his lap, but Sam tightened his arms around her waist, "Sam, you need to let me up."_

"_Let you up? You're the one sitting on my lap." Sam laughed as he kissed her neck, moving his mouth up her neck to nibble at her ear._

"_My parents are going to be here soon and they won't be happy to find you here."_

"_Your parents like me, Lee-lee," Sam whispered into her ear, chuckling at the shiver that ran down her spine._

"_Yes, they do, but they won't be happy that you're breaking the after midnight with no parental supervision rule," Leah wiggled to sit sideways on his lap, linking her arms around his neck._

"_Me? You were the one that called me to see if I wanted to come over to watch a movie and eat popcorn, remember?" Sam cocked an eyebrow at her before kissing her mouth, slanting his head to deepen the kiss for a few seconds before pulling back, "Now get off me so I can go home before your parents get here. I don't want them to ground you…then I won't get to see you."_

_Leah laughed as she pushed herself up to her feet, walking towards the front door but turning as she saw sweeping headlights pulling into the driveway, "Back door! Go!"_

_Sam laughed as he grabbed his shoes before walking through the kitchen to the back door, Leah close behind him. Opening the back door, he turned to drop a kiss on her forehead._

"_I'll see you tomorrow, Lee-lee."_

"_Okay," Leah grinned at him as he smiled and turned to quickly walk out and into the shadows. Sighing, she closed the door and leaned against it. It had been an amazing night, even though all they had done was cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. She was looking forward to spending more evenings like these with him for the rest of her life._

Leah pulled into the gas station and stepped out of the car, stretching until she heard her back pop. She had been driving non-stop for the past six hours on 35 South into Iowa and knew she had to stop for food and gas soon. Plus, she should call her mother to let her know she was alright.

Reaching into the car, she grabbed the key out of the ignition and pulled her wallet out of her glove compartment before closing the door and heading into the gas station, looking around for a restroom sign, which she found towards the back by the refrigerated section.

After taking care of her immediate needs, she stood in front of the mirror as she washed her hands. For a minute, she wasn't able to recognize her own reflection. Her cheeks were sunken from not having eaten much in the past few days and she had dark circles under her eyes, which looked dull and bloodshot from lack of sleep. Running her hand through her straight brown hair, she couldn't help but admit to herself she looked a fright.

She turned away with a sigh and headed out, grabbing a large bottle of soda, a bag of chips and some beef jerky before heading up to the counter.

"Will that be all," the blonde girl behind the counter asked as she rang up the items.

"I want to fill up my gas tank," Leah handed over her credit card, quickly signing the receipt before grabbing the plastic bag and her card, "Is there any place with good food near here?"

"Yeah," the blond girl smiled as she put away the receipt, "Just keep going down this road until you see a café on the left side of the road. It's next to a motel, in case you want to get some sleep."

"What's the name," Leah shoved the card into her front jeans' pocket, looking into the blonde's unusual gray eyes.

"Ames Roadside Motel."

Leah chuckled, "I meant the café's name."

"Ah," the girl blushed lightly, "It's called Mamma Mia. You won't miss it."

"Thanks."

Stepping outside, Leah stopped by the public phone before heading back to her car to fill her gas tank. Pulling out change from her pocket, she picked up the phone and dialed her home number, gnawing at her bottom lip as she leaned against the wall listening to the ringing phone.

**"_H'llo?"_**

"Seth?"

**"_Lee! Where are you?"_**

"I think I'm in Ames, Iowa. At least that's what the gas station clerk said the name of the local motel was, so I am assuming it's named after the town."

**"_You're in Iowa? What the hell are you doing there?"_**

"Stopping for gas and some food. Maybe get a couple hours of sleep before getting back on the road."

**"_Where are you going?"_**

"Well, I'm hoping to get into Illinois by tomorrow evening."

Seth chuckled,** _"I don't want to know where you're heading next. What's your final destination?"_**

"I'm not sure yet, Seth," Leah pushed her fingers into her shoulder length hair, "Right now, I'm just driving as far from Sam as possible. How's everything going on with the pack?"

**"_We miss you."_**

"Liar."

**"_I miss you."_**

"I miss you too Seth. Actually, to be honest, I miss all of you. It's kind of lonely with just my thoughts."

**"_I bet it is. Mom's doing alright, but she's visiting Charlie right now."_**

"Oh, how is Charlie?"

**"_He's doing good. Missing Bella. Their dating now."_**

"Who's dating?"

**"_Mom and Charlie. They made it official about two days ago."_**

"Mom didn't say anything last time I talked to her! I can't believe it."

**"_Yeah, I assumed she didn't. Charlie's an okay guy and mom's smiling again, so I suppose I can put up with her having a boyfriend."_**

"Ugh, don't say that. It just sounds weird. Anyway, I gotta go and fill up my tank. Tell mom I'll call her later. Seth…please don't tell the pack where I am."

**"_I'll try my best but can't promise anything. It was good talking with you Lee. I miss you."_**

"I miss you too. Bye Seth."

**"_Bye Lee."_**

Sighing, she placed the phone back on its cradle before heading to her car to fill it up before tossing her snacks into the passenger seat. Leaning against the car to wait for the gas tank to fill up, she stared off into space, wondering what Sam was thinking. She had been honest with Seth…she felt lonely in her own thoughts without the constant contribution of the pack…especially Sam. She missed him like crazy, but she still needed to get away.


	8. Chapter 7

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good____As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

Chapter Seven

"What will you have, sweetheart?"

Leah looked up from her menu at a kindly old lady with a big smile, "Are you still serving breakfast?"

"Of course, darling. Would you just like the breakfast special?"

"Yes please," Leah smiled at her as she handed over her menu, "And I would like coffee, please."

"Alright, sweetie, I'll be right back."

She turned to look out the window beside the empty booth she was sitting on. Ames was a quiet town, probably just as quiet as Forks…minus the vampires and werewolves, of course. Sighing, she turned to look around the small café. It was nearly empty except for an older man sitting at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee.

She felt tired in a way that went deeper than just physical. It seemed that the farther away she got from La Push, the more her memories crowded in, sapping her of any energy or excitement that could have been part of this trip. Leah was trying to enjoy the cross-country road trip but unfortunately, her memories seemed to keep her from noticing the miles between herself and Sam.

She realized that the reason why this was happening was because, in a sense, she had brought Sam along for the trip and she didn't know how to leave him behind.

"Here's your coffee, darling," Leah smiled up at the kind lady, shaking her head when she asked if she needed cream and sugar, "And your breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

Taking a sip of her black coffee, she wondered what Sam was doing at the moment. Probably putting the nursery together for the baby…Emily would be giving birth sometime soon if she hadn't already.

It hurt too much to know that Emily was getting everything Leah had dreamed of –a future with Sam, his children and his unwavering love. She couldn't help but wonder if he even cared enough to think of her anymore.

_Sam laughed at the look on Leah's face as he pulled her towards the edge of the cliff._

"_Are you crazy?" Leah looked down at the crashing waves, her hand gripping his hard as she looked back into his face to see if he was playing a trick on her._

"_No, and I'm not playing," Sam laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, "I really think you'll enjoy cliff diving."_

"_Really? What gave you the idea that I would like diving off a cliff for our two year anniversary? Seriously, Sam, we could die."_

"_We are not going to die, Lee-lee. Besides, it's not that far of a drop."_

"_You're kidding, right? I bet if someone was down there, we would look like ants to them." Leah bit her lip as she looked over the edge, knowing herself well enough that even though she was scared to jump, if Sam wanted her to do it, she would, no matter how far down the fall was._

"_It's not that high, Leah. There's a cliff farther up…this one's like the starter cliff…you know, the five foot dive board you have to jump before you try the ten foot one."_

"_Yeah, except this diving board is about 25 feet or so above water."_

"_We'll jump together, okay? I'll even hold your hand the entire time." Sam tightened his arms around her, kissing her forehead before looking into her eyes, "Or if you prefer, I'll hold you."_

"_So if we die –"_

"_We die together."_

_Leah looked up into his eyes as she wrapped her arms around his waist, "You know, you're really romantic in a creepy sort of way."_

_Sam laughed as they simultaneously moved closer to the edge, "Ready?"_

"_No." Leah shut her eyes tight, holding on to Sam even tighter as he reminded her to take a deep breath before they hit the water. _

"_Okay, let's do this. One…two…three!"_

_Leah couldn't help let out a scream at the sensation of falling through space as they hurled down towards the water. She opened her eyes in time to take a deep breath as they hit the cold water, the current pulling them under and the waves crashing over them. Sam held on to her as he kicked, making his way up towards the surface, keeping his arms around her. They broke through the surface together, both gasping for air and grinning at each other like fools as they made their way to shore._

"_That was unbelievable," Leah exclaimed as she dropped to the sand, pulling Sam down beside her, "I can't believe I actually jumped!"_

_Sam laughed as he rolled on top of her, bracing his weight on his arms as he brushed back her wet hair, looking deep into her twinkling brown-green eyes. Smiling, he lowered his head and kissed her eyes, his bottom lip catching the water drops clinging to her eyelashes. As he pulled back, he felt her hand grip the back of his neck and pull him down, her soft lips pressing against his briefly before she tugged on his bottom lip. _

_It was one of those kisses that started soft and slow and built on itself, their passion and desire smoldering slowly before becoming a full fledge fire. Sam knew he should stop, pull back, but Leah was holding on tight and her skin against his felt intensely erotic that he couldn't even think of stopping. _

_Sliding his hand down her ribs, he gripped her hip and pulled her over him as he rolled to his back, his arms wrapping around her waist as he moved his mouth down her neck, sucking and biting gently until he reached her collarbone. Tracing it with his tongue, he couldn't help but groan at the spicy taste of her skin._

"_Sam?"_

"_Yes, Lee-lee?" he murmured against her shoulder as he slid his hands up her back and under the strap of her bathing suit top, his thumbs brushing against the sides of her small breasts._

"_Make love to me?"_

_Sam pulled back and looked into her face, his eyes searching hers before he rolled over again, trapping her under his body as he slipped a leg in between hers, his heavy thigh pressed against her center, "Are you sure, Leah?"_

"_Yes."_

_Kissing her lips, he moved his hands slowly down her body, his fingertips committing to memory the feel of her silky skin as his lips traced her jaw, enjoying her taste and scent. This was a memory he wanted to engrave onto his heart to be able to recall years down the road._

_His hands shook as he slowly took off her two piece bathing suit, slightly apprehensive because it was his first time, as it was hers, and he wanted it to be special for both of them. Pulling back, he slowly looked over her body, enjoying the clean lines and curves of her body, enthralled at the way the sun caused her light russet colored skin to glow._

"_I love you, Lee-lee," Sam whispered as he looked into her eyes, shivering as her hands moved down his back to his waist, her fingers sliding into the elastic of his swimming trunks. Sitting up, he helped her pull off his swimming trunks before laying on top of her again, both of them letting out a groan at the feel of skin on skin, their bodies burning with passion for each other. _

"_Leah…" Sam kissed the tip of her nose, his fingers brushing over her naked breasts, "I don't have any protection with me."_

"_Don't worry…I'm taking care of it," she murmured as she moved her hips, biting her bottom lip as she felt him brushing intimately against her, her legs on either side of his hips._

_Sam buried his face into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her, wanting to bury himself deep inside her but forcing himself to hold back so he wouldn't hurt her. _

"_Sam, please…" she whispered into his ear as she ran her fingers through his long hair before grabbing a fistful of it and pulling him down to devour his lips, wrapping her legs around his hips._

_Sam moved into her, groaning at the sensation of her warmth taking him in as he pushed –_

"Sam!"

Sam jumped to his feet, turning in time to watch Jared and Paul break through the trees, both breathing hard, "What's wrong?"

"Emily –" Jared grabbed his side as he took in a deep breath, "Emily's –"

"What's wrong with Emily?" Sam moved away from the tree he had been sitting against and moved towards them, feeling that familiar heat as he got ready to shift. Hitting the ground running, he felt a shimmer in the air that let him know Paul and Jared had shifted right behind him.

Sam:_"What's wrong with Emily?"_

Paul:_"Nothing."_

Jared:_"What the hell do you mean nothing? Going into labor isn't 'nothing'."_

Paul: _"She's pregnant. Going into labor at the end of a pregnancy is natural; therefore there is nothing wrong with her."_

Sam: _"Both of you shut it. When did she go into labor?"_

Paul: _"About an hour ago."_

Sam: _ "And you waited until now to come tell me?"_

Jared: _"She wouldn't let us go look for you. Said you needed to have time on your own or some such bullshit like that."_

Paul: _"We had Seth distract her so we could sneak out and look for you. I tell you, Emily's got a pair of lungs…she wasn't happy when she realized we weren't in the house anymore."_

Sam reached the house in record time, hitting the front door in full force as he shifted, completely oblivious of his naked status, not that it mattered. The only ones in the house were his wife and his pack brothers, all of them whom seen him naked many times before.

He looked around the kitchen and moved towards the living room, looking at all the pale faces of his brothers.

"Where's Emily?"

"In the bathroom," Brady pointed down the hall where Seth stood, leaning against the wall next to the closed bathroom, holding a pair of Sam's jeans.

"What is she doing in the bathroom," he grabbed the jeans and quickly pulled them on before reaching for the doorknob.

"Door's locked," Seth shrugged as he pushed himself away from the wall, "She's taking a shower. Said there's no need to hurry since her water hasn't broken yet…whatever that means."

"It means her mucus plug is still holding."

"Eww, gross," Seth exclaimed as they all turned to look at Collin, their faces identical expressions of disgust and disbelief, "Why the hell would you know that?"

"I want to go to medical school…be an obstetrician. I've started doing some early research." Collin shrugged, trying to keep the blush down, refusing to feel ashamed of his career goals.

"Uh," Brady scratched the back of his head as he leaned back into the couch, "So does that mean if Leah didn't make it to the hospital, you should be able to deliver the baby?"

"No!"

They all laughed at the fact that Emily and Collin had answered simultaneously as she opened the bathroom door, wrapped in a bathrobe, "I am not going to have Collin deliver my baby."

"No, he's not going to be doing that," Sam agreed with her as he led her down the hallway towards their bedroom, "How about we get you dressed and take you to the hospital?"

"I'm not going to the hospital either," Emily stated calmly as she moved into the bedroom and headed straight towards the dresser they shared.

"What?" Sam stood by the doorway, his face slack with surprise and shock.

"I called my mom," Emily looked over her shoulder as she pulled out a cotton nightgown she had bought for this specific occasion, "She's coming down from Makah along with my aunt Rosie and they'll be helping me."

"Do either of them have a medical degree," Sam exclaimed as he ran his hands through his short hair, contemplating hauling her off to the hospital even though she didn't want to go.

"My aunt Rosie is a midwife. And mom's helped her many times before, so yes, they know what they are doing," Emily grabbed the dresser as a contraction hit her, biting her lip to keep from screaming. Sam rushed to her side, grabbing her arm and getting ready to lift her, "Don't you dare, Sam. I am going to have our baby here in our house right on our bed. Now help me put on this nightgown before you go to get my mom and aunt."

"I thought they were on their way," Sam exclaimed as he grabbed the nightgown with one hand and undid the belt of her bathrobe with the other.

"They are," Emily let the robe fall to the ground then stood still as Sam tried to figure out the front of the gown, "But I have to give you something to do or you are going to drive me crazy with your hovering."

"Em, this is our first baby. You sure you don't want to have it at the hospital?" Sam finally found the front of the gown, gently lowering the neck hole over her head and helping her put her arms into the quarter sleeves.

"Yes, Sam, I'm sure. I want to have our baby here, in our home," Emily looked up at her, her mahogany colored eyes begging him to agree although there was no need since she knew he couldn't go against his imprint's wishes.

Sam tugged the gown over her big belly before placing his forehead against hers, smiling into what he thought were the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen, "Okay, love. Let's get you into bed and I will go get your mother and aunt."

"Thank you," Emily pressed her lips against his softly, her hands gripping his arms as another contraction ripped through her extended stomach and crawled towards her back.

Sam picked her up and settled her on their bed, piling pillows behind her to prop her up into a sitting position before quickly kissing her forehead, "I'll be right back."

He ran out of the room and through the house, completely forgetting the pack in the living room as he jumped into his truck and drove towards the Makah reservation, praying fervently that his mother-in-law was more than halfway down towards La Push.

He couldn't believe he hadn't been there with Emily when her pains started –instead, he had been off in the woods, reminiscing over his time with Leah. It hurt –it physically hurt –to realize he had let down Emily because of his lingering feelings for Leah.

Sighing in relief as he saw the familiar faded blue little Honda making its way towards him, he made a quick U-turn to lead his mother-in-law back towards La Push.

He felt a bubble burst inside of him as he realized he was going to have a baby…he was finally going to hold his little boy in his arms and get to be a father. The joy spreading through him was indescribable, almost paralyzing and his last thought before he slammed the truck into park in front of his house and rushed in with his wife's relatives behind him was that he was glad Leah wasn't here.

Because it would kill her to discover that what he had once felt for her was completely gone and replaced by an all consuming love for his Emily and their child.


	9. Chapter 8

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__ As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline.**

**AN: Sorry it took so long everyone! I just started vocational classes to get my certification as a nurse's assistance and Leah had gone mute for a while. I read the first three Meyer books again, along with some other Leah based fanfic stories, and she's back and I am ready to move on. Hope you enjoy! Reviews are loved and appreciated.  
**

**Chapter Eight**

_One Month Later_

The problem with this job was that the repetition of it allowed her mind to wander. Leah sighed as she grabbed the coffee pot and started making the rounds, not looking forward to the guys on table twelve.

"Hey sexy," green eyes smiled up at her as she poured coffee into empty cups, keeping herself out of reach just in case he decided to grab on to something…she definitely didn't want a repeat of two weeks ago, "Want to go out to dinner with me this Friday night?"

"Sorry, Kevin" Leah gave him a smile that let him know she wasn't sorry at all, "But I already have a date this Friday night."

"Oh really," Kevin gave her a suspicious look as he leaned back into his seat, "Who with?"

"Same guy as last week," Leah turned away to head to another table, calling over her shoulder, "I'll bring your breakfast in a couple of minutes, boys."

Finishing her coffee rounds, she headed back to the counter, giving Abby a smile as she grabbed the plates of food waiting for her.

"Oh, Leah," Abby looked up from the order form she was filling out, "I meant to tell you that I found a waitress to replace you. Would you be willing to stick around for another month and help train her?"

"Sure, Abby," Leah smiled as she stepped around the counter, "That won't be a problem at all."

She had been in Ames, Iowa for a month now, and another month wouldn't hurt her plans. She realized with a start that she had left La Push around the end of May and had arrived in Ames mid-June. Now it was mid-July….another month would place her at getting back on the road on mid-August…the timing couldn't have been more perfect if she had planned it herself.

Growling deep in her throat, she placed the plates on the table before grabbing Kevin's wrist, pulling his hand away from her thigh, "You touch me again, Kevin, and I swear I will break your wrist."

"Dear God, Leah," Kevin groaned in pain as he tugged at his hand, "I think you already did."

Leah tightened her hand around his wrist a little more before letting go, knowing he would have bruises by the next morning, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Walking away, she couldn't help but wish that she could go out back and phase, run off the anger and desperation that seemed to be riding her lately, but she couldn't risk it. Not only would the pack know where she was, but they would know where she was going and why.

It really wasn't that big of a deal if they knew, but she didn't want Sam to know at all. She was being pitiful, she knew that, but she was hoping Sam would be worried for her, even if it was just a little.

Glancing at the calendar, she froze in shock as she realized that Emily should have given birth by now…there was no way Sam was thinking of her…not when he had Emily and his first baby…

"_Do you want children, Lee-lee?" _

_Leah looked up into Sam's face, which was very close since her head was resting on his shoulder, her eyebrows lowering in surprise, "Well…that depends."_

"_Depends on what?" Sam ran his fingers through her hair, pressing his lips to her forehead._

"_On whom I'm having the children with," Leah couldn't help but blush as she looked away, wishing she could take the words back._

"_What about with me," Sam tried not to smile, knowing why Leah was feeling embarrassed and self-conscious._

"_Children with you," Leah grinned up at him, her heart squeezing painfully at the direction their conversation was going._

"_Yeah," Sam shrugged as he rubbed her bare arm, his eyes staring off into space, "I'll be eighteen in a few months and heading off to college. You still have another year so I was thinking that once you were done with high school, we could get married."_

_Leah pushed herself up and looked down into Sam's dark eyes, her own wide with surprise, "Are you proposing to me?"_

"_Not officially," Sam kissed the tip of her nose, smiling into those brown-green eyes that meant the world to him, "But I think it's something we should start talking about and planning. Don't you think?"_

"_Marathon, uh?"_

"_You remember that? It's been two years since I said that to you…"_

"_I know," Leah grinned down at him before snuggling into his arms, her fingers tracing his abs, "I'll always remember it. It was the most romantic thing I ever heard."_

"_I think I may be able to get even more romantic," Sam moved to wrap both his arms around her, burying his face into her hair, his lips brushing her ear as his hot breath whispered across her neck, causing her to shiver, "I love you Leah. You are my world. If given the choice, I would die before leaving you. And I promise you this…your happiness, your dreams, your goals…they have all becomed mine."_

"_Wow," Leah looked into his dark, almost black, eyes, feeling like her heart was flying and about ready to burst with the overwhelming emotion she felt, "Anymore romantic than that and I may spontaneously combust."_

_Sam laughed as he slid his mouth down her throat, the husky quality of it making Leah shiver, "I can help cool you off…except, of course, you're going to have to explode first."_

_Leah's laughter rang throughout the beach, filling Sam with joy as he moved over her, his mouth on her throat, his hands exploring, his dark eyes hot and filled with desire._

Leah sighed as she walked into her roadside hotel room, paid weekly by Abby as part of her salary, tossing her keys onto the side table and kicking off her shoes, wanting to shower and sleep, praying that she wouldn't dream.

Four hours later, Leah rolled over for the hundredth time, wishing sleep would come even with dreams. She felt so exhausted she would have welcomed the usual nightmare as long as she got several hours, even minutes, of sleep before it came. Instead, she was plagued by memories that should have been long forgotten but unfortunately, they were so fresh it was like she was still there.

"_What's wrong, Lee-lee," Sam dropped his backpack as he sat beside Leah at the cafeteria table they shared with their friends, "You look somewhat worried."_

"_Not worried," Leah looked up at him, kissing his cheek as she moved closer to him, "Just a little…confused."_

"_About what?"_

"_My dad," Leah tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down as she continued to doodle on her notebook, "He's suppose to be going to the Forks hospital for his check-up at the end of this week, but he canceled the appointment. Mom's ticked because he decided to find a new doctor in Port Angeles."_

"_Why is he doing the hour drive to Port Angeles for a check-up instead of at the Forks hospital?"_

"_Something about the new doctor that just got hired. Dad doesn't like him and I overheard him talking to Billy and Mr. Ateara…turns out they don't like him either."_

"_A new doctor," Sam reached up to tuck Leah's dark hair behind her ear, "What about him does your dad not like?"_

"_I don't know," Leah dropped her pen in frustration, "The doctor and his family just moved here from Anchorage, Alaska. Sadie was in Forks yesterday and saw some of the doctor's kids…they're all in high school and she says they are really gorgeous...including the boys."_

"_Uh," Sam's dark eyebrows lowered in a playful look of worry, "Should I be worried about competition?"_

"_Sam," Leah looked at him, her arm sliding around his waist, "You have no competition. When it comes to me, you're a league of your own."_

_Sam chuckled, snuggling his face against hers, his lips nibbling her jaw line. Leah sighed then pulled back in shock as the temperature of his skin registered in her mind._

"_Sam! You're feeling warm. Are you getting sick?"_

"_I feel fine," Sam shrugged as he went back to Leah's jaw line, "I've been warmer than usual the last couple of days, but nothing else is off."_

"_Well, I'll just have to keep a closer eye on you, make sure you don't get sick."_

"_Well, if that means spending even more time with me, I'm okay with that."_

Leah sighed as she rolled over onto her back, pulling the pillow over her face, wanting to stifle the memories but they just kept coming.

"_Sam, I wish you would go to the doctor," Leah flopped onto the couch next to Sam, her hand automatically moving over his face, wincing at the heat, "It's been a week and you just seem to keep getting hotter."_

"_Leah, there's no need for me to go to the doctor," Sam continued to flip the channels on the television, "I feel fine. I'm just a little hotter than normal but I don't feel anything else."_

"_Promise me that as soon as you feel a sore throat or a headache, you'll go to the doctor? You may be getting the flu or something," Leah stared worriedly at him, her legs curled up to the side and resting against him, the heat on his skin penetrating through his jeans and hers to heat up her legs._

"_I already said I would," Sam gave her a harassed look, "Will you stop nagging about it already?"_

"_Not nagging," Leah moved away from him, slightly irritated at his tone of voice, "Just worried."_

"_Then stop worrying," Sam placed the control on the arm of the couch, pulling Leah closer to him until she was sitting on his lap, "And I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."_

"_Uhm."_

"_Tell me about your afternoon. What did you do for the four hours that we were apart?"_

_Leah relaxed into his arms, snuggling deeper into him, "I called my cousin Emily. She's going to be coming down for Christmas this year and we're going to start doing some wedding planning."_

"_Emily? Wedding planning?" Sam grinned at her, reaching up to loosen her hair from the ponytail she had pulled it back into._

"_Yes, my cousin Emily Young. She lives up in the Makah reservation. You met her once, remember? She thought you were cute."_

"_When was this? We've been together for almost four years. I've met a lot of your family members."_

"_She's real pretty, with big brown eyes and long black hair. Even though I know she tried, she couldn't stop looking at you throughout the small dinner party we had the last time she was here...not that I blame you. You are awfully nice to look at."_

_Sam chuckled as he tightened his arms around her even more, "I remember now. I didn't pay much attention to her because I was too busy staring at you. That was a couple months after our one year anniversary, wasn't it?"_

"_Yes. Anyway, she's agreed to be my maid of honor and said she would be happy to help with the planning and preparing."_

"_So…do we have a date? I mean, if you're planning the wedding, I assumed you have a date and that you should tell me so I don't make other plans."_

_Leah laughed as she leaned her head back to kiss him, "No, I don't have a date. I thought we'd pick that together. I graduate in five months. I know that driving back and forth between here and Port Angeles for your classes is tiring, but I thought you'd realize that graduation for me is coming fast."_

"_Ah, that's right. Five more months, uh?" Sam ran his hand through his shoulder length hair, closing his eyes before looking at her, "What do you say to getting married two months after you graduate? I don't start my next term at the community college until September. So that gives time for a wedding and a honeymoon."_

"_How does the first Saturday of July sound?" _

"_Sounds good. I have enough money saved up for a ring. Would you like to go ring shopping next weekend? We can go to Seattle."_

"_Well, I was thinking…maybe we could take both our savings and get that cute little house out by the woods…you know which one I'm talking about?" Leah couldn't help the blush that stole across her face as she stared sightlessly at the television screen, not understanding why she was embarrassed about her suggestion._

"_I like that idea…our own place. But don't you want to go to college?"_

"_I was thinking of taking classes at the community school along with you."_

"_Okay…I suppose I need to talk to your parents soon, then? How do you think you're dad will handle losing his little girl?"_

"_Sam," Leah cupped his face, looking deep into his black eyes, "Dad's not losing his little girl…he's just gaining another son." _


	10. Chapter 9

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__ As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Nine**

"Well, Kimberly, it was a pleasure working with you," Leah pulled the front door of the diner shut, locking the two locks before handing the keys to the tall redhead standing next to her, "Abby is a real sweet lady and I think you'll enjoy working for her."

"Thanks Leah. You were an amazing teacher. What time are you heading out tomorrow?"

"I think sometime before five in the morning," Leah shrugged as she slipped the strap of her purse over her shoulder, "I want to make it into Indiana by tomorrow night."

"You know, I envy you…this cross country road trip. It sounds like a lot of fun."

"Yeah," Leah smiled as she started walking towards the roadside motel that had been home for the past two months, "I suppose it could be. You have a good night Kimberly."

"You too," Kimberly called over her shoulder as she quickly walked towards her little faded red Toyota Paseo, the street lights casting shadows across the street but keeping the parking lot in front of the diner well lighted.

Leah sighed as she walked slowly down the street, feeling slightly emotional about leaving the town she had been living in for the past two months, yet euphoric about moving on, continuing on the journey to finding that elusive something that kept avoiding her ever since Sam had left her.

She turned the corner onto the street where her roadside hotel home was when out of nowhere, and without warning, she was roughly grabbed from behind, a large hand covering her mouth to keep her from screaming as she was dragged down a dark alley.

"Well, Leah, I heard your date stood you up…I'm willing to stand in for him."

Leah felt a surge of anger as she recognized the voice that whispered into her ear. Instinctively, she kicked her leg out, hoping to connect with his crotch but he jumped back quickly, a low chuckle weaving through the darkness.

"Let's take her into the woods back here," Kevin reached out to run his fingers down Leah's face, anticipation welling inside him, "Now, Leah, I'll have Lenny take his hand off your mouth once we're in there but I have to ask you to keep the screaming to a minimum."

Leah struggled but having three big country boys holding her wasn't easy to shake off as they dragged her several feet until they were about a yard or so into the woods behind the roadside motel.

Leah took a deep breath when the hand on her mouth was lifted, glowering at Kevin, her mouth tight with anger, "I'm warning you Kevin. Tell your buddies to let go of me or you will regret this."

Kevin laughed as he started undoing his belt, his face filled with an evil intention that Leah knew she couldn't allow him to follow through with, "There are four of us and one of you Leah. What can you do?"

"One last time," Leah's voice shook as she felt a familiar fire travel down her spine, "Let me go _now_ or you will be very sorry."

"Oh no Leah," Kevin slowly undid the button and zipper on his jeans, "I've wanted you since I first saw you but you kept blowing me off. Now, I'm going to have you…we all are."

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!"

She knew it had to have been nightmarish for them, but she didn't care. She erupted into gray fur and large paws and sharp teeth, her growls echoing in the woods as she pounced on Kevin, her mouth open, moonlight glistening off the teeth that were ready to go for the kill, not caring that the rest of his cronies were running off, knowing full well she could sniff them out once she was done with the first sick bastard.

**Seth: **_Son of a bitch! Rip his throat out!_

**Brady: **_Bite his head off!_

**Collin: **_Both of them!_

**Sam:**_ Leah, no! Don't you dare kill any of them!_

**Paul: **_Holy fuck! She's gone for three months and now that she's back in our heads, turns out she can't take care of herself?_

**Seth: **_Shut up you dickhead! _

**Brady: **_Yeah, Paul, shut your mouth. Unless you want Seth to rip a new one into you._

**Leah: **_Fucking bastard is going to die! He could do this to another girl if I don't stop him and those other sick bastards. Who knows how many others there were before me? Please, Sam, let me kill him._

**Sam: **_No. We are protectors of the people Leah. We don't hurt them in any way. Just get out of there. Come back home where we can look out after you._

**Leah:**_ No Sam. I won't kill him but I'm not ready to go back. Please don't make me go back._

**Sam: **_Okay, then, leave. Knock him out and leave. Please watch after yourself better, Leah. I don't want you to get hurt._

**Seth: **_Holy fuck! He's bleeding something fierce._

**Sam:**_ Leah!_

**Leah:**_ What?! You said not to kill him…I didn't. But I had to teach this asshole a lesson._

**Paul: **_That's gonna leave one hell of a scar._

**Leah:**_ I hope it does…that way he won't forget this night._

**Sam: **_Leah, just walk away. Walk away before I have to make you._

**Leah: **_Fine. Let me just grab my purse to get to my room…_

**Sam: **_ LEAH!_

**Leah: **_WHAT?! So I accidentally stepped hard on his crotch…what's that gonna do to him?_

**Seth: **_Aside from the unbearable pain? I hope it renders the bastard unable to get it up. _

**Brady:**_ HA! HA! I'm with Seth, Sam. Scum like this guy shouldn't be able to do anything with it. They're safer that way. Leah just ensured the safety of countless other girls._

**Leah: **_That's right. I am protecting other girls…shit! Why the hell are there so many freaking people out here? _

**Seth: **_Just wait it out Lee. Once the coast is clear, get to your door, phase and get in before anyone sees you in your birthday suit…it may cause more problems._

**Leah: **_Funny, little brother. So what do I have to do while I wait? Kill the time with you morons?_

**Paul: **_Well, there goes my assumption that you might have changed in the past three months. Still the same bitter bitch, uh Leah?_

**Seth: **_You call my sister a bitch one more time and I swear to God, you'll be walking with three legs._

**Brady: **_Well, we can update you on what's been going on here in La Push._

**Leah: **_Oh, gossip. Wonderful. I knew I missed you girls for a reason._

**Sam: **_Leah, knock it off. You're the one that phased…it's not like we intruded into your head._

**Leah: **_So what, Sam? Was I just supposed to let those jerks rape me to avoid the reunion?_

**Sam:**_ That's not what –look, let's just change the conversation, okay?_

**Seth: **_Jared and Kim got married._

**Leah:**_ That's not much news. _

**Seth: **_The reason for the sudden wedding is news, though._

**Leah: **_What happened? Seth, stop snickering and just tell me._

**Brady: **_Kim's father walked in on them._

**Leah: **_A shotgun wedding?_

**Seth: **_Yeah. _

**Leah:**_ That's funny. Has Jared stopped phasing?_

**Paul: **_Yes, he has. But you haven't asked about Emily yet, Leah. Don't you want to know about your cousin?_

**Collin: **_Why do you always have to be such an ass, Paul? _

**Leah: **_How is Emily?_

**Sam: **_She's fine._

**Leah: **_So…boy or girl?_

**Sam: **_...One of each._

**Leah: **_Oh._

Leah felt her heart breaking, something she thought couldn't happen, but it seemed that the pieces that were her heart needed to be broken down even further into more manageable pieces. Even through the haze of her pain, she was able to feel Sam's inability to contain his joy at the news he had so casually shared with her.

**Sam:**_ Leah –_

**Leah: **_Don't worry about it. Coast is clear, so I'm going. Seth, tell mom I'll call her in a day or two._

**Sam:**_ Leah, wait. Where are you –_

Leah moved quickly to her door, phasing as she grabbed her purse from her mouth and pulling out the key to unlock the door. Rushing into the room, she closed and locked the door behind her and headed to the bathroom, collapsing in front of the toilet, her dinner coming up violently, tears streaming down her face.

Standing up, she washed out her mouth, looking into the mirror. She couldn't believe that after three months away from Sam, the pain was still so fresh and sharp she could see it in her eyes. For the first time since she left, she wondered if there was any hope at all…maybe this trip was a waste of time. Maybe she would have to live with this pain until she died.

Maybe death was the only foreseeable relief when it came to her…


	11. Chapter 10

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Ten**

Des Moines…Newton…Iowa City…_Entering Illinois_.

Geneseo…Princeton…Ottawa…Chicago Heights.

Take highway 90 into Indiana and on to Ohio? Or highway 90 into Indiana then up to highway 94 into Michigan?

Leah had memorized those two possible routes but had yet to make a decision. Highway 94 would take her from Michigan into Ontario, Canada through Toronto and on to Montreal. She couldn't help but remember Jacob's memories of Canada back when he ran off after Bella and Edward's wedding invitations came out and was curious enough to make it a possible route to her final destination.

She knew she had to stop in Indiana, call her mother and let her know that she was okay. She just hoped none of her brothers had told her about what had happened back in Ames. She had left within hours after attacking Kevin, knowing full well that even if they sounded like lunatics, the police would come looking for her if those country hicks reported what had happened, although she doubted they would.

After all, they couldn't exactly tell the police officers that the girl they had dragged to the woods to rape had exploded into an overgrown wolf and went after one of them.

Laughing hysterically, she realized how exhausted she was and decided that maybe she would stop for the night at the next town. Seeing a sign for Hammond, Indiana she quickly located a road side inn and got off the highway, pulling into the parking lot and stopping near the building marked front office.

She grimaced as she got out of the car, looking around at the slightly dumpy looking buildings before walking into the front office, automatically locking the car doors behind her.

"I'd like a room for the night," Leah looked into the dull blue eyes of the front desk clerk, trying not to wrinkle her nose at the smell of mold.

"Fifty three dollars, sign here," the clerk pushed a grimy looking ledger at her, shoving a pen into her hand. Signing quickly, she pulled out her wallet and handed over the bills before taking the key, needing to get out of the office quickly.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she looked down at her key to note the room number before returning to her car and driving around the front office towards the back of the parking lot and parking in front of her room door.

Grabbing her duffel bag, she locked the doors and headed to the room, looking around for a public telephone and not finding any. She just hoped there would be a phone available inside her room.

_Harry Clearwater opened the door to greet a slightly nervous looking Sam. Inviting him in, he wondered as to the occasion since Leah was still at school._

"_Sam," Sue walked into the living room from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel, "What a surprise to see you…I mean, what with Leah not being here."_

"_Well," Sam shifted nervously, looking at Harry out of the corner of his eye, recalling the large harpoon kept in the outside shed for deep sea fishing, "I was hoping to talk to both of you…about Leah."_

"_You haven't gotten my girl pregnant, have you Sam?"_

"_No sir, no…definitely not," Sam couldn't help but picture the harpoon again, "I'm here for something else. I mean, Leah and I have been talking about the future…our future…and, well –" _

"_Just spit it out Sam," Harry crossed his arms, unsure if he was ready to let his little girl get married and move away to start her own family. The only reason he knew that Sam was there to ask for Leah's hand was because the poor boy was sporting the same sick look he had when he'd asked Sue's parents for her hand in marriage. _

"_I came to ask for Leah's hand in marriage," Sam's words rushed out so fast that if Harry and Sue hadn't had an idea of why he was there, they wouldn't have understood him._

"_Marriage," Harry turned to look at Sue, wondering if he was going to have a heart attack, "Aren't you two too young for that?"_

"_Harry," Sue gave him a look that he understood very well, "We were the same age they are now when we got married."_

"_Yes, but…this is my Leah we're talking about," Harry walked away from Sam, running his hands through his silver streaked dark hair, "I don't know if I'm ready for this."_

"_Oh sweetheart, you'll never be ready for it. But apparently they are."_

"_Sam," Harry turned to the boy, no, young man that was hoping to take his daughter away from him, "Do you love my daughter?"_

"_With all my heart sir," Sam answered with sincerity that both Harry and Sue were able to hear as they smiled at each other before turning back to Sam._

"_Then you make sure and make her happy," Harry moved towards Sam, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Because if you hurt her in any way, I will come after you with that harpoon you can't stop thinking about."_

_Sam couldn't help but laugh with relief, his laughter growing as Harry joined him, both of them grinning at each other as Sue walked towards them, throwing her arms around her future son-in-law, "Welcome to the family, Sam."_

"_Thank you Mrs. Clearwater," Sam hugged her back quickly before pulling back, "And thank you Mr. Clearwater. I promise to look after Leah all my life."_

"_I'm holding you to that," Harry smiled at Sam as he dropped an arm around Sue, "And you can call us Harry and Sue. We're going to be family after all."_

Sue closed the door to her daughter's bedroom, shifting the box in her arms to distribute the weight more evenly. Sighing as she walked down the hall and into the living room, she couldn't help but wonder if Leah would be calling. She missed her so much it was almost physically painful.

Putting the box down on one of the side tables in the living room, she checked the clock and realized that Charlie would be arriving soon for dinner. She rushed into the kitchen, quickly checking the lasagna she had placed in the oven an hour ago. It would be ready just in time.

Pulling out the necessary flatware and silverware, she grabbed glasses and pulled out cold lemonade from the fridge, placing everything on the table.

Today was a special day…it was Bella's twenty-second birthday and although she couldn't come to Forks to celebrate with Charlie, Sue decided to do something special for him to commemorate the event.

"What's in the box, Sue?"

Sue walked out of the kitchen, surprised that she hadn't heard Charlie come into the house.

"Some stuff from Leah's room," Sue shrugged as she moved towards the box, opening it and shifting through it, "I just thought that it would be good for her to not have these things around if she decides to come back."

"Have you heard from her?" Charlie reached into the box and pulled out fabric swatches attached to drawn designs of dresses.

"Not since last week," Sue pulled out an ivory envelope that she knew contained the wedding invitation Sam and Leah had settled on along with a newspaper clipping announcing the Uley-Clearwater engagement, "Seth said she was leaving Ames and would be calling when she got to Indiana…that was yesterday. She hasn't called yet."

"I'm sure she will as soon as she has a chance," Charlie took the newspaper clipping from Sue, looking at the picture that accompanied the engagement information.

He couldn't help but notice how happy and beautiful Leah looked, her big eyes sparkling as she looked into the camera. Sam himself looked proud and filled with joy as he looked down at Leah, his dark eyes expressing how she was his world.

He just couldn't understand how this devoted couple pictured before him could have fallen apart the way they did, "How far along were the wedding plans before they broke up?"

Sue grimaced as she pulled out a cloth bag and opened it, reaching in to pull out torn scraps of ivory silk, "She had her wedding dress in the closet and the bridesmaid dresses were chosen and ready to be fitted. The invitations had already gone out…they were down to eight weeks before the wedding when Sam broke it off with Leah…he never explained to her why…she later found out by other means that Sam had fallen in love with Emily."

"It's almost like it's happening to us, isn't it, when our children get hurt?" Charlie placed the stuff he was holding back into the box, "I think if we could, we'd take that pain upon ourselves so they wouldn't have to hurt."

"I know what you mean," Sue closed the box, turning towards the kitchen with Charlie following behind her, "There were many times when I wished that it had happened to me instead of Leah. But even though I wanted to take on her pain, I don't think I fully understood what she was going through."

"That's what I felt when Edward left Bella a few years back," Charlie pulled out his chair and sat down, filling the glasses with lemonade, "She carried around so much pain that I couldn't help but feel like I didn't really understand the immensity of what she was going through."

"It's hard to let them grow up and experience the pain that comes with loving someone," Sue placed a generous helping of lasagna on their plates before grabbing the salad from the fridge, "But we can't shelter them forever."

"How I wish we could," Charlie laid his hand over hers, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze, "I learned to deal with the pain of Renee leaving me and taking Bella but I was never really able to get over the hell Edward put Bella through…every time I talk to her, I wonder if she's happy, if it was a good idea for me to let her marry Edward and go off to college with him. But she sounds happy so I just hope and pray that it is true."

"You are so lucky Charlie," Sue laced her fingers with his, "At least when you talk to Bella, you can hear her happiness and not have to take her word for it. But me? Every time I talk to Leah, she sounds sad…that's too mild a term. She sounds depressed. I thought that maybe leaving La Push and Sam behind would help her find herself but the longer she's away, the more I notice the anger and pain behind her words, the sadness in her voice. It breaks my heart that she's dealing with all that on her own now because I can't be there to hold her and tell her she's strong enough to survive. I'm not sure now if I should have let her go."

"Sue," Charlie reached out to brush away the tears sliding down her face, "She's a strong one…she is a Clearwater after all. We pray that she finds what she needs, that she learns to live through the pain and somehow, become whole again."

_Sam opened the front door to his house, dropping the book bag on the couch as he went through the house in search of his mother, "Mom! Are you home?"_

_He turned as she walked out of the utility room, a basket filled with folded clean clothes, "How many times have I told you not to shout inside the house, Sam?"_

"_Sorry," Sam gave his mother a sheepish smile, "I want to tell you something."_

"_Oh Lord," she dropped the basket at her feet, her dark eyes wide with horror, "Please tell me you did not get Leah pregnant. Harry Clearwater will kill you and use you as bait!"_

"_Mom, no!" Sam shoved his hand through his hair, grimacing in pain because he had forgotten that it was tied back in a ponytail, "Why is everyone assuming that I got Leah pregnant?"_

"_You are being careful, right," she gave him a stern look as she picked up the basket and moved around him and towards his room._

"_Yes, mom, we are," Sam shook his head as he followed her, "But that's not what I wanted to tell you."_

"_Then what news do you have for me?"_

"_I just got back from talking with Harry and Sue Clearwater…Leah and I are getting married."_

_Sam blinked as his mother once again dropped the basket and whipped around, her long hair swirling around her face and shoulders, her dark eyes, so like his, wide with surprise._

"_But you're just eighteen, Sam. Why do you have to rush into this so fast? If Leah's not pregnant, can't you wait a few years before getting married?"_

"_Mom," Sam placed his hands on her shoulders, looking down into her face, realizing his mother was still beautiful and wondering why she had never remarried after his father walked out on them both, "I love Leah…with everything in me, I love her. And we feel that this is right for us. We've been together for four years and we are both certain this is it for us. She's the one that I've chosen to share my life with and as unbelievable as it is, she's chosen me. I don't want to wait."_

"_Oh Sam," she looked up at her boy, realizing for the first time that he was a grown man now and that he looked so much like his father, a man she had never stopped loving despite the pain he had caused her, "Are you sure? This is it? She's the one? There will be no other for you?"_

"_I am sure, Mom," Sam hugged her tight, laughing as she started to cry, "You're going to have a new daughter."_

"_Good thing I've always liked Leah Clearwater then," she pulled back to wipe her tears, her eyes filled with joy on her son's behalf, "But promise me you two will wait at least a couple of years before having children. I am too young to be a grandmother yet."_

Linda Uley couldn't help the melting of her heart as she looked at the faces of her first grandchildren. They were so tiny, so beautiful…so utterly perfect.

"They look just like you, Emily," she smiled at her daughter-in-law as she placed little Bailey back in the bassinet she shared with her twin brother Bradley.

"I don't know Linda," Emily looked down at her son, watching in fascination as he suckled, "I think they look like Sam. Especially this little boy."

"Well, one thing for sure," Linda brushed her hand against Bailey's dark curls, "They are both absolutely adorable."

"I agree with that," Emily smiled as Bradley fell asleep, his mouth slackening around her nipple. Gently moving him, she replaced her bra and shirt before putting him on her shoulder and gently patting his back, "And they are such easy babies. They sleep through most of the night, believe it or not. I thought that with two of them, I would more than likely go crazy with lack of sleep but so far, it's been easier than I thought."

"Sam was like that," Linda leaned back on the couch, making sure she could still see her sleeping granddaughter, "He slept for five hours out of the eight during the night, which gave me a good amount of time to sleep. Speaking of my son, where is he?"

"Out with some of the other guys," Emily smiled softly as Bradley gave a soft burp followed by a sigh as he snuggled into his mother's shoulder, "He's been such a good father. He'll change them and get them for me for their night feeding. And he's always willing to look after them so I can get some more sleep or do things around the house. He's absolutely in love with them. It's adorable."

Linda stared at Emily, her dark eyes tracing the scars that ran down the right side of Emily's face, down her neck, arm and to the back of her hand. Even after the four years that Sam had been with her, Linda still couldn't understand what had happened with Leah, although she understood that Sam loved Emily. If she had to be honest, love was a mild term to what was in Sam's eyes every time he looked at his Emily…as if she were his very reason to be alive.

"Emily," Linda looked down at her hands before looking into her daughter-in-law's doe brown eyes, "What's happened with Leah? I haven't seen her in the past four months and every time I run into Sue, she simply tells me Leah's okay when I ask after her."

Emily rose from the armchair, placing a sleeping Bradley next to his sister, watching them sleep for a bit before turning to look at Linda, "She left La Push about four months ago. She didn't tell anyone where she was going just that she needed to go. She occasionally calls Sue but that's it. Sue doesn't tell us anything other than she's alright, so I can't tell you what's going on with her or how she's been doing."

"Emily," Linda leaned over to take her hand, pulling her down to sit next to her, "I love you. I hope you know that. You make my son…happy is mild to what I see on his face. But I just never…understood…what happened between him and Leah. The day he told me they were getting married, he looked and sounded so certain…that was the only reason why I went along with it. Then four months before the wedding, he disappears. When he finally comes back, everything changed. He never told me where he was or what had happened. He never explained…"

Emily pushed her braid over her shoulder, wanting to tell Linda the truth but knowing that she couldn't. Sam had made it clear that his mother didn't need to know what had happened, that she wasn't one of the people that could be trusted with this information, "Linda…I can't tell you what happened just that sometimes…things are out of our control. Sam loved Leah, he really did, but…what's between us was so much stronger…and sometimes, it's hard to fight something that strong. Sometimes I wish it had been different…I lost my best friend in Leah…but even that can't make me regret what I have with Sam. The Cherokee have a saying that I think explains what we have…love is when one soul goes into another and becomes one…that's what Sam and I have."

"I know that Emily," Linda brushed her hand over Emily's face, her fingers caressing her smooth cheek, "I see it every time I look at you two. But there was a time when I loved Leah as if she had been my own…and I can't help but feel her pain and wonder, where does this leave her? Her world revolved around Sam. What is she to do when her point of gravity becomes someone else's? I can't help but feel for her because, you must understand, I've been there. It is absolutely crippling when the one you love goes to someone else. I still love Joshua…I don't know if he's dead or alive, but I still love him. That's why I've never remarried. But my heart bleeds every day when I look in the mirror and see that I wasn't good enough for him…that I wasn't the best choice he had made. And for that reason, I hurt for Leah…because I've been there."

"I hurt for Leah too, Linda," Emily looked down at her hands, her eyes glassy with tears, "Because I have Sam…because I know what she lost…because…I was the one that ended up being Sam's gravity. I fought it, I really did, but what do you do when not only are you his gravity, but he's yours? We didn't plan it…it just happened. And I just…I just hope that Leah is able to find someone who revolves around her…"

"I don't," Linda smiled sadly as she looked out the window, watching her son walking towards the house he shared with his wife and children, "Because replacing one love with another simply adds new pain and hurt on top of the old. I just pray that she's able to find freedom…so she can live happily on her own."

"_They said yes?"_

"_Yes!" Leah clutched at the phone, unable to stop herself from bouncing on her bed, "He also talked to his mom and after he explained everything she agreed too. I'm getting married in seven months! You have got to come and help me plan."_

"_Of course I will. I'll be there in two weeks for Christmas break…since I'm already done with school, I might be able to convince my parents to let me stay in La Push until after the wedding…I can work with your dad at the store."_

"_Dad would love the extra help," falling back on the bed, she stared up at the ceiling, "Oh, Emily, you will be my maid of honor, right?"_

"_Of course," Emily laughed, "You've asked me three times already. I promise to be your maid of honor and you have already promised to be mine."_

"_Hey, how's it going with you and Adam," Leah sat up as she realized she hadn't asked her cousin, and best friend, about her boyfriend of two years._

"_We broke up."_

"_Oh, Emily, I am so sorry. What happened?"_

"_He decided he wanted to go to college unattached…you know, so he could do the college man thing the right way. He was such an asshole about it."_

"_Oh Em, he's so not worth your time. I hope you told him good riddance."_

"_I did one better…told him I hoped he would get an STD so he'd learn his lesson…I also said I wasn't interested in taking him back once he was done "sowing" his wild oats."_

"_Good for you. Are you going to be okay with the wedding plans? I mean, I don't want you to feel –"_

"_I'll be fine. I am so looking forward to seeing the ring."_

"_Oh, that," Leah gnawed at her thumb nail, "There's no ring. We decided to use our savings to buy a little house out by the woods here in La Push. Wait 'til you see it. It's absolutely adorable. We're actually going to go see it with the real estate agent this weekend."_

"_No ring?! I mean, it's great that you're getting the house but…no ring?!"_

"_It's not that big of a deal. I mean, I don't really care about a ring or a romantic proposal. All I want is to become Mrs. Sam Uley. I love him so much, Emily…it's almost frightening. But the fear goes away becomes he loves me just as much. Oh, damn! I gotta go get ready. Sam's picking me up in a couple of hours to go to dinner. I'll see you in two weeks, okay?"_

"_Okay. Tell Sam that I said congratulations. He couldn't have picked a better girl than you for his wife. Also let him know that I'm in line with those who will hurt him if he hurts you."_

_Leah laughed, "You have to take a number, that's for sure. I don't know why people keep saying that to him. As if he would ever do anything to hurt me…I think he'd rather cut off his own hand than to cause me any pain. That's one of the reasons I feel safe in loving him. Argh! I really gotta go. Tell your parents I said hello!"_

"_Will do."_

Emily leaned against the door frame, watching her husband say good-bye to his mother. She couldn't help the aching pain that pierced her heart as she remembered Linda's words. And she realized that she too wished and prayed for Leah to find freedom from the pain she carried around with her.

Sam had hurt Leah bad but Emily knew that while the pain she carried was due to Sam, the anger she wouldn't let go of was because of her. Leah told her once that what she, Emily, had done had been ten times worst than what Sam did…because while Sam didn't have a choice she did. And she chose to return Sam's devotion and love at Leah's expense.

Emily wiped a tear away and turned back into the house, not wanting Sam to see her crying. Even with her gone, the guilt still hung heavy on her shoulders and she knew that it would remain there until the day Leah was able to forgive her for taking Sam for her own.

She just wasn't sure if that day would ever come…if Leah would ever understand enough to forgive her.


	12. Chapter 11

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Eleven**

"_Leah!"_

"Mama, you sound as if we haven't talked in years," Leah chuckled as she kept her eyes on the horizon, leaning against the brick wall.

"_It's been two weeks. Don't ever take that long to call me, you hear?"_

"Yes ma'am. I was planning to call you when I got a room for the night in Hammond, Indiana but there wasn't a phone in my room or a public phone anywhere else I could see."

"_Where are you now?"_

"I'm in Michigan City. I decided to take a little detour and check out Lake Michigan. I've never seen that much still water. Just looking at it makes me realize that I miss the beach."

"_Are you looking at Lake Michigan right now? Are you taking pictures of these places for me?"_

"Yes, mama, I am. I'm actually on my fourth disposable camera. I'll mail them when I finish the trip," Leah pushed her hair back, shivering at the cold air.

"_Where are you heading next?"_

"I don't know yet…I've got two choices…continue on into Ohio or head up to Ontario."

"_Canada?"_

"Yup. I was remembering some of Jacob's memories of Canada…I thought it would be neat to see it for myself…get you some pictures."

"_Well, sweetheart, just promise me you won't go more than two days without calling me."_

"I promise."

"_So do you have to go soon?"_

"Yeah, actually, I do. It's really cold out here."

"_Well, sweetie, I'll tell your brother you called. Anyone else you would like me to give a message to?"_

"Yes, actually," Leah smiled as she teased her mother, "Tell Charlie that he better watch his step around you."

"_Oh Seth…I should have known he would tell you about that. It doesn't bother you, does it?"_

"No mama, it doesn't. Charlie's a nice guy. Steady and dependable…definitely someone that can look after you while I'm away," Leah bit her lip as she turned her back to the lake, huddling closer to the phone box, "Mama…"

"_Yes, sweetie?"_

"Have you seen them?"

"_Yes, I have…they look like Sam…and they are so small they almost don't look real."_

"Oh…" Leah's breath hitched as she wiped away a tear, "What…what did they name them?"

"_Bailey and Bradley."_

"Oh," Leah pressed her hand against her chest, her breathing getting hectic "I gotta go mama."

"_Leah?"_

"Yes?"

"_I love you…and I'm praying for you."_

"Thank you mama. I love you too."

"_One more thing."_

"Yes?"

"_Go to Canada."_

* * *

Leah knew she was driving recklessly but she couldn't seem to help it. For her, reckless equaled a possible loss of control which equaled a clear conscious if something happened to her. Taking a sharp turn, she saw the sign that would lead her through customs and into Canada. Good thing she had thought of grabbing her passport.

He had named them Bradley and Bailey…funny how those names brought back memories she had succeeded in keeping at bay for the past two days…

"_Where are you taking me?"_

"_It's a surprise."_

"_Sam," Leah looked over at him, a smile on her face, "You know I don't like surprises."_

"_You love surprises, you little liar," Sam grinned at her as he took her hand, "Have I mentioned that you look beautiful?"_

"_Well, since you said it was formal, I put a little more effort into my look," Leah looked down at her deep red knee length dress, her hand reaching up to adjust the three thin straps on one shoulder than held the dress in place, "I borrowed the dress from Meredith because I didn't have anything good enough for a formal date."_

"_Well, you'll have to get one for prom, won't you?"_

"_Sam," Leah grimaced at him, "If I wasn't willing to go to your prom and preferred for us to do something else, what makes you think I would want to go to my prom? I think, once again, I'd rather we just did something together instead."_

"_We'll see about that."_

"_So where are we going?"_

"_Still not telling you."_

_A half hour later, he pulled into the parking lot of __**Little Italia**__, Leah's favorite restaurant in Port Angeles. Laughing at the look of joy on her face, Sam got out of the car and walked around to open her door, helping her out of the car as he sneaked a peak at her long tanned legs in red high heels._

"_Stop ogling my legs and let's go eat," Leah closed the door behind her as she reached up to kiss him, "I love this place. Thank you."_

"_You are welcome."_

_Sam had reserved a private table for two with a view of the docks. They watched the boats coming in and going out as they talked about school, friends and parents. _

"_Good evening, my name's Bailey and I will be your waitress for tonight," a tall slender brunette stood by the table, giving Sam an appreciative look, "What can I get you to drink?"_

_Sam smiled at Leah as he took her hand, "Iced tea for her and I'll have water, for now."_

"_Here are your menus and I will come back with your drinks," she gave him a smile before turning to walk away._

"_Ugh," Leah scrunched up her nose, "Was she flirting with you?"_

_Sam shrugged as he played with the fingers of her left hand, "I don't care enough to notice."_

"_What kind of a name is Bailey?"_

"_I think it's pretty," Sam smiled into her wide eyes, "Not as beautiful as yours, though. Leah. It sounds like poetry."_

"_If we have a daughter, promise me you won't name her Bailey," Leah looked into his eyes before looking out the window._

"_Well, believe it or not, Bailey was one of my favorite girl names back when I was a kid, before I got my Leah, that is. And although I told myself back then that if I ever have a daughter, I would name her Bailey, I promise you that I will not name our daughter Bailey."_

"_Thank you," Leah grinned at him as she squeezed his hand, "Did you have a boy's name picked out?"_

"_Well," Sam couldn't help blushing because he knew he was such a nerd having names picked out for his children, "I thought that if I had a boy and a girl, I could name them Bradley and Bailey."_

"_Oh, those poor children," Leah laughed as she reached out to brush her hand across his hot cheek, "I'm so sorry sweetheart but with names like that, they are bound to get picked on a lot growing up."_

"_Well, what are your names of choice," Sam frowned at her, his eyebrows lowering over his eyes, "Since my choice of names has a lot to be desired, obviously."_

"_Well…I haven't exactly thought of names for future children of mine…but something like Grace for a girl would be beautiful…and maybe Nathan for a boy."_

"_Grace…Gracie for when she's little. And Nathan…Nate for short. I must admit, those are good names. Fine, you can name our children."_

"_Tell you what," Leah cocked her head to the side, a look of tenderness evident on her brown-green eyes, "You can name the first child and I'll name the second one."_

"_What if the first one's a girl? You already made me promise not to name our daughter Bailey."_

"_That is one promise I will let you break."_

"_Are you two ready to order?"_

"_Yes," Sam smiled at Leah before turning to look at Bailey, "I will have the chicken parmesan and my fiancée will have the shrimp primavera."_

"_Oh," the waitress gave Leah a quick look before turning back to Sam, her smile polite and professional, "I'll have those out as soon as they are ready."_

_Leah's shoulders shook with silent laughter as Bailey walked away, "You sure put her in her place. At least she saved her tip from getting cut in half."_

Leah handed the border patrol officer her passport, waiting for him to do his thing inside the little tollbooth.

"Where are you headed to, Miss Clearwater," the officer bent down to look into the car, his blue eyes showing obvious interest, although Leah couldn't understand why since she knew she looked a mess. She always looked a mess after crying, which was followed by getting sick on the side of the road before reaching the border.

"To Toronto, Officer."

"Is that your final destination?"

"No sir. I'll be spending a day or two there before heading to Montreal."

"Alright," the officer handed the passport back, "You enjoy your stay in Canada."

"Thank you."

_Sam wrapped his arm around Leah as they walked down the docks, the moon high up in the sky._

"_It's a wishing moon," Leah murmured, her eyes on the sky as they stopped by one of the piers._

"_Well, it's got a night off tonight because I have everything I could wish for right here in my arms," Sam wrapped both arms around her, kissing her forehead before dipping his head to kiss her lips. _

_They stood there for a few minutes, simply enjoying the kiss as it deepened. The air around them was charged with excitement and energy and they couldn't help but move closer to each other._

"_I have something for you," he whispered into her ear, sliding his hands under the jacket he had placed around her shoulders to keep her warm, "It's in my left jacket pocket."_

_Leah smiled as he moved his mouth over hers, sliding her hand into the pocket of his jacket, her fingers closing over a small velvet box. Pulling it out, she pulled away to look at the dark blue ring box in the middle of her hand._

"_Sam," she gasped as her eyes swung to his, "I thought we agreed to save our money for the little house."_

"_I didn't spend any money," Sam took the box from her and opened it, taking out a simple, yet beautiful, platinum solitaire, the diamond winking in the moonlight, "I told my mom about the decision of not getting you a ring and she gave me this one. It's the one dad gave her."_

"_It's beautiful," Leah smiled up at him as he took it out of the box, taking her left hand and sliding it onto her ring finger, "And it's a perfect fit."_

"_Because we're meant to be."_

_Leah laughed as she threw her arms around his neck, "Oh Sam! Have I ever told you how delightfully corny you can be sometimes?"_

Canada was, well…something else for sure. A whole lot of nothing, really. Leah couldn't understand why Jacob had such fond memories of this country…maybe she was on the wrong part of Canada.

She reached for the knob on the radio, switching radio stations until she found one with somewhat decent music. She knew she should eventually stop and rest but for some strange reason, she was feeling very reckless and that included driving while exhausted…which she heard was the equivalent of driving while drunk.

Who knows? Maybe some eighteen wheeler could come around the bend and sweep her off the road, end her miserable existence. She had only tried killing herself once before…it hadn't worked well. What that did to her parents had stopped her from trying again. And after she became a werewolf, well, there was no point when she healed that fast.

"_Sam, you remember my cousin Emily Young, right?"_

_Sam looked into a pair of doe brown eyes and smiled, briefly noticing that she was beautiful with her dark skin and long black hair, "Yes, I do."_

"_Briefly, I bet," Emily smiled at him as he placed his arm around Leah's shoulder, "Last time I was here, you stared at Leah all the time. Looks like you've gotten used to having her next to you."_

"_Well, that's because I know that this is where she belongs –next to me," Sam smiled down at Leah before kissing her forehead, "Anyway, Leah's told me that you've been a great help with planning the wedding. I want to thank you for that. What with us doing school and such, it's hard to plan a wedding without help."_

"_It's no problem," Emily blushed prettily as she shuffled her feet, "Leah knows what she wants and you seem to agree with everything she says, so that helps the planning go much faster."_

_Sam laughed before he hugged Leah, "I gotta go Lee-lee. I have a late night study group up in Port Angeles. I'll be spending the night there with some of the guys from my class. I'll call you tomorrow morning when I head back."_

"_Okay," Leah smiled at him as he leaned down and kissed her, briefly suckling her bottom lip before pulling back and walking out of the Clearwater's house, looking over his shoulder at Leah, a smile on his face that made her heart take flight…again._

"_Earth to Leah."_

"_Oh, sorry." Leah looked into the amused eyes of her cousin, "Were you saying something?"_

"_Just that you are one lucky gal. That boy absolutely adores you."_

"_I know," Leah smiled gleefully before returning to the kitchen table, which was covered with magazines, notebooks, paper, and fabric, "You couldn't stop looking at him."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be. He is beautiful to look at. Plus, I know you wouldn't do anything to get him away from me."_

"_Of course not," Emily sat on the chair opposite Leah, reaching for her notebook and pen, "So have you and Sam decided on the invitations? We need to get them mailed in a month."_

"_Yes," Leah pulled out the magazine she had marked, "We decided on these. And we wrote down what we wanted them to say. Let me see…here it is."_

"_These are beautiful, Lee. I'll go ahead and send in the order. It should take a week or two for them to get done unless you want to pay extra for a rush order."_

"_Rush order them, just incase. Daddy won't mind the extra expense," Leah pushed her hair behind her ears, "I was thinking we can go shopping for my dress next weekend. What do you think?"_

"_Wonderful! Is Aunt Sue going to come?" Emily moved magazines until she located the one she wanted._

"_Yes, and so are Sadie and Meredith. Have you found a dress for the bridesmaids that you liked?"_

"_Yes," Emily pointed at the picture, "This one. What do you think?"_

"_I think that if you were the one getting married, I would love wearing that dress."_

_They both laughed as they continued working on wedding plans, well aware that eventually Leah would have to break away to do homework but they couldn't help enjoying their time together. It had been a while since they've spent so much time just hanging out and getting to know each other all over again._

Leah sighed as a song about heartbreak and lost love ended, a growl in her throat as another one about glory of first love began.

"Music nowadays is nothing but sentimental crap," she muttered, jumping slightly at the sound of her own voice. It had been two days since she last talked to her mother and it seemed like she was not used to the sound of her own voice anymore.

She was sixty-five miles outside of Toronto, wanting nothing more than to find a motel to crash in. She was so exhausted she was seeing double lanes on the road…at least she thought she was seeing double because it didn't make sense as to why a highway out in the middle of nowhere Canada would have four lanes.

Cussing as she pulled to the side of the road, she couldn't help but admit that she needed to sleep. Although she wouldn't mind being run off the road by another driver, she couldn't break her promise to her father to never try ending her life again. And driving this exhausted…that's exactly what she was doing. Locking the doors and lowering the windows just enough to get fresh air, she unbuckled her seat belt and leaned her seat back, closing her aching eyes, a sigh escaping her as she wiggled around, trying to find a comfortable spot for her numb bottom.

"_Hello Mrs. Uley, is Sam there?"_

"_How many times have I told you to call me Linda, Leah? And no, he's not. He left two hours ago to pick you up for prom."_

"_Oh."_

"_He hasn't gotten there yet?"_

"_No he hasn't, that's why I called. I thought maybe he'd gotten sick and hadn't been able to call me. He's been running a fever for the past few weeks."_

"_I'll head out towards your house and see if I find him…maybe he got sick on the side of the road."_

"_Thank you Mrs. –Linda. I'll head out and meet you in the middle. I'm sure we'll find him."_

_Leah hung up the phone, her stomach queasy with worry as she ran up the stairs to her room, quickly taking off the peach colored prom dress she had bought with Sadie, Meredith and Emily a month ago. She was close to hyperventilating by the time she had pulled on jeans and a t-shirt that belonged to Sam, shoving her feet into her tennis shoes without bothering with socks._

_Running downstairs, she grabbed the car keys, calling over her shoulder at her confused parents, "I'm going to go look for Sam."_

_Several miles down the road away from her house and towards his, she hit the breaks, her headlights illuminating Sam's blue Honda on the side of the road, the driver side door opened, the headlights still on. Turning her car off, she quickly got out and ran to the car._

"_Sam! Sam!"_

_Her heart gave a jump of relief to find the car empty but it started beating hard as she noticed black scraps of cloth on the seat and on the pavement. Looking closer, she realized that the scraps were what should have been the rented tuxedo she had helped him pick out last week for this night's events. _

_Reaching down to the floorboard, she pulled out what she thought could be one of his black loafers. Her breath stuck on her throat, she looked around for blood but even though she noticed markings of what was obviously a large and wild animal, she didn't find any. _

_Headlights coming from Sam's house swung around the corner, blinding her as the car came to a stop several feet away from the car._

"_Leah?"_

"_Linda," Leah gasped as she leaned against the car, her breathing labored as tears rolled down her face and sobs chocked her, "Sam's not here. Something, some large animal…his clothes are shredded…there are claw markings on the door…"_

"_I'm going to call Charlie," Linda rushed back to her car, pulling a cell phone she only used for emergencies out of her purse and quickly dialing the number._

_Leah pushed herself away from the car, looking around to see if there were other markings…perhaps signs of Sam being dragged away…she couldn't breathe as she stumbled across the street towards the forest that bordered the road, still holding what was left of Sam's shoe in her hand against her chest._

"_Sam," she sobbed out, her breath hitching, "Sam!"_

"_Leah, no!" Linda shouted as she ran across the street and grabbed Leah by the arm, pulling her away from the forest line, "Charlie's on his way. He said he would call the Forest Rangers to come help. We'll find him."_

"_Oh God," Leah collapsed onto her knees, clutching tightly at that torn up shoe, "What if something's happened to him? What if he's hurt? What if –"_

"_Leah, you can't think like that. We will find him. He's going to be okay," Linda place her arm around Leah, scared at how hard she was shaking. It soon became apparent that Leah was having a hard time breathing, her crying causing her to choke. Pulling out her cell phone again, she dialed the Clearwater's number just as she saw the flashing lights of Forks' Chief of Police._

"_Hello?"_

"_Sue, this is Linda Uley. I'm on the road bordered by the forest. We found Sam's car but he's nowhere in sight. Charlie just arrived but Leah's not doing well. I'm calling the ambulance. I thought I'd let you know."_

"_Oh God! Linda, we're on our way. We'll meet you at the hospital. Please don't leave her alone."_

"_I won't," Linda ended the call, about to dial for an ambulance when she heard the far off siren. Turning to look at a concerned Charlie, she sighed with relief when he looked away from the car towards her._

"_I thought it would be a good idea to have the paramedics nearby, just in case. You go ahead and go with Leah. I'll have a deputy drop off your cars and the Forest Rangers will get here in about ten minutes. We'll find him, Linda."_

"_I can't –I can't –" Leah moaned as Linda tried to get her to stand up, doubling over and vomiting, her hair falling from its up-do due to the force of her retching. She fell to her knees just as the ambulance stopped, the paramedics jumping out and running towards Leah, quickly assessing the situation._

"_She's going into shock," David called out just as he turned to run back to the emergency vehicle, opening the back doors and pulling out the gurney, piling blankets on top and raising it before pulling it towards Leah and his partner, Keith, who was helping Leah lean back, coaching her breathing._

_They quickly transferred her to the gurney, covering her with blankets. Leah turned to the side and threw up again, weakly fighting the hands that held her in the gurney when she tried to get out. _

"_Sam!" Her tears chocked her and she coughed hard, her body shaking uncontrollably, "Please…I have to find him. Please."_

"_Charlie's going to be looking for him, Leah," Linda took her hand, shocked at how cold Leah's skin was, feeling worried at the ashen look of her face, "He and the Forest Rangers will find him."_

"_Please…Sam."_

_Leah's eyes rolled back into her head as she blacked out, no longer aware of what was happening around her._


	13. Chapter 12

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Twelve**

"Holy shit!" Leah exclaimed as she sat up, looking around to see what had woken her up until she noticed the officer standing next to her car. It had been his rapping knuckles against her window that had released her from her troubled sleep. She rubbed her eyes, realizing that she was shaking…she had been so tired she hadn't realized how cold it had gotten overnight.

"Are you alright, Miss?

Leah lowered her window, shading her eyes from the bright sun as she looked up into the officer's face, "Yes sir. I just pulled over to get some sleep."

"Good," he smiled down at her before replacing his glasses, "You'll reach Toronto in about an hour. There's a little bed and breakfast off the highway just as you hit the city limit."

"Thank you," Leah readjusted her seat and buckled her seat belt as the officer returned to his cruiser. Turning the key, she glanced at the gas gauge and grimaced, hoping she could make it to Toronto on a quarter gallon of gas.

Turning into the empty highway, she turned on the radio, not wanting to let her thoughts grow in the silence. The nightmare had come back, as it did most nights, but this time she hadn't been able to stop it. She had been so tired she hadn't been able to wake up even though she willed herself to do just that during the dream.

"_Leah, baby, wake up."_

"_Mama," Leah's eyes blinked open as she turned her head to the side, her vision blurry, "What's going on? Where am I?"_

"_You're at the hospital," Sue brushed her daughter's hair back, swallowing the lump in her throat as she looked into Leah's bloodshot eyes, "Your blood pressure dropped and you went into shock. They've stabilized your blood pressure but the doctor wants to look you over before he decides if you can come home with us."_

_Leah closed her eyes, her mouth dry as she tried to remember why she was here. With sudden clarity, she sat up, grabbing harder onto her mother's hand as the entire hospital room moved in circles. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before asking her mother, "Where's Sam? Have they found him yet?"_

"_Not yet," Harry spoke up, taking Leah's other hand in both of his, "But the Forest Rangers are still looking and Billy has gotten a few of the Quilettes together…They're still looking, baby," Harry reassured his daughter quickly as tears started leaking out of the corners of her closed eyes, "I promise you, we will find him."_

_A knock on the door made Sue and Harry look away from their daughter as a tall, blond doctor walked in, his unusual colored eyes filled with compassion that was meant to reassure, "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater. I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen and I will be looking after your daughter."_

_Harry's eyes narrowed as he moved to stand between his daughter and the doctor, a growl building in his chest just as Sue moved to stand next to him, giving him a stern glare that he knew meant he should behave._

"_Thank you Dr. Cullen," Sue gave another warning glance to her tense husband, "Please forgive my husband's behavior. He's a little –high strung right now."_

"_Understandable," Carlisle smiled at Harry, hoping to reassure him but without success. He sighed quietly as he moved around to the opposite side of the hospital bed, quickly assessing Leah's pale face, clammy hands and labored breathing._

"_Leah," he leaned down to take a closer look, stopping when Harry hissed, knowing that the Quilette man didn't like him being this close to his daughter, "I need you to open your eyes and look at me."_

_Leah's dull brown-green eyes opened as she looked up at the doctor, blinking several times before she admitted that he was, indeed, beautiful. But then she remembered Sam and couldn't help but think that the doctor paled in comparison to Sam's beauty. Biting her bottom lip, she chocked back a sob, wanting, no, needing, for the doctor to release her so she could go back to La Push and look for Sam._

"_Tell me what happened last night, Leah," Carlisle took her wrist and counted her pulse rate, keeping an eye on her chest to count her respiration._

"_My fiancé…he's missing. I found his car…it looked like some big animal may have gotten him…his clothes and shoes were shredded…they…haven't…found him…yet," Leah stopped as the sobs broke out, looking away from the doctor as she stuffed a fist into her mouth, her shoulders shaking with the force of her tears._

_Carlisle placed her hand on her stomach, wishing he could find a way to help her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pen and recorded her vital signs, knowing that he wanted to keep her overnight. Her pulse rate was too high and her respiration was too hectic. _

_Turning to read the digital readout of her blood pressure, he couldn't help but frown. They had stabilized her within an hour of her arrival to the hospital but it looked like it was starting to dip again. It wouldn't be good to send her home in this emotional state that was apparently affecting her physical well being._

"_Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater, if you could please follow me to the hallway," Carlisle smiled at them before turning to his patient, "Leah, I'm going to give you a sedative so you can sleep. We need to stabilize your pressure and heart rate before we look into discharging you. Please try to calm down but if you need to talk to someone, let one of the nurses know and they will come get me. I know of someone that's qualified to help you with what you're dealing with right now."_

_Leah nodded as Dr. Cullen walked out of the room, followed by her parents. She didn't care about the sedative or talking to some counselor, all she wanted was to get discharged. That meant letting them stabilize her long enough to let her go._

_Sue closed the door behind her, taking Harry's hand in hers as they looked at Dr. Cullen._

"_She seems to be suffering a serious emotional trauma. Normally, this can be helped by seeing a counselor but it seems to be affecting her physical well being. Her blood pressure is dropping again and her breathing and heart rate are too high for me to feel comfortable enough to discharge her. I suggest we keep her until tomorrow morning. Hopefully we can stabilize her and keep her on a normal level for at least twenty-four hours before you take her home."_

"_Thank you doctor," Sue leaned against her husband, closing her eyes for a moment before looking at the doctor again, "Should we keep her informed about Sam?"_

"_It would be best that you do. Not getting any news may agitate her even more. Of course, if something did happen to Sam, then it would be advisable to wait until she's stable to tell her."_

_Sue nodded before she looked up at her husband, nudging him hard in the ribs to make him stop glaring at Dr. Cullen._

"_Thank you," Harry muttered grudgingly, his eyes still filled with hostility and suspicion. _

_Carlisle nodded to both of them before heading to the nurse's station to give his order of a sedative for Leah Clearwater. Although it had been years since he and his family had last been in Forks, it seemed like Harry knew who and what they were…the Quilettes definitely had a long memory._

Leah sighed as she saw the Toronto city limit sign, quickly looking around to see if she spotted the bed and breakfast the police officer had mentioned. Seeing the sign for the B&B at the next exit, she got off the highway and drove down the frontage road for a while before turning right onto the road that lead to the B&B.

Pulling into a parking spot, she turned the car off and got out, stretching her arms up above her head, listening to her back pop in response. Lowering her arms down, she stood there, staring at the little cottage that probably had six bedrooms tops, if she was counting the windows correctly. She just hoped that she wasn't getting here on tourist season…she wouldn't get a bed at this place otherwise.

Pulling her duffel bag out of the trunk, she locked all the doors before walking towards the cottage, noticing the architectural details on the house that she knew her mother would find fascinating. She made a mental note to take a picture before she left.

"_It's been three days," Sue gave Dr. Cullen a pleading look, "Can we please take her home?"_

_Carlisle looked over his shoulder at Leah, watching her as she stared out the window, uninterested in their conversation, "We've stabilized her and she's remained normal for the last twenty-four hours. She isn't sleeping much but I can prescribe some mild sleeping pills. I'll go ahead and sign the release forms."_

"_Thank you Dr. Cullen," Sue's face split into a relieved smile, "Thank you so much."_

_Carlisle smiled before nodding at Harry, who nodded in return. Heading towards the nurse's station, he gave the head nurse orders to discharge Miss Clearwater and give her parents a prescription for sleeping pills, enough to last for a month._

_He wasn't really comfortable with letting Leah leave his sight, especially since her fiancé had yet to be found, but he understood her parents' need to have her home with them._

_Running his hand through his hair, he moved on to another patient, hoping that he wouldn't have to see Leah Clearwater in this situation again._

Carlisle Cullen looked up from the book he was reading, smiling at the sound of his "children" coming to the house for "dinner". This time around, most of them had decided to share a house separate from him and Esme, but they still made the effort to come to the main house during the "dinner" hour at least twice a week.

Putting his book down, he quickly headed downstairs to find all of them sitting either on the couch or floor, talking and teasing each other.

"Hey, Blondie, I got another one for you."

"Just give it up, dog," Rosalie growled at Jacob, kicking Emmett hard on the ribs for laughing along with Jacob.

"She's already heard that one, Jake," Edward looked over his shoulder from the piano bench, Bella next to him, "But you might want to try the other one."

"How do you drown a blonde," Jacob looked at Rosalie with a big grin, which only stretched bigger as Jasper and Emmett fell on their backs laughing.

"You glue a mirror to the bottom of a pool," Alice called out, ducking quickly at the flying pillow sent her way by Rosalie, laughing along with the boys.

"Hey!" Annabelle glared at Rosalie as she kicked the pillow aside, which had hit her on the face when Alice ducked.

"Not my fault," Rosalie sniffed as she leaned back into the loveseat, "Alice ducked. Beside, that dog of yours started it all. You really need to take a rolled newspaper to him every once in a while."

"As if," Jacob reached over and snagged Annabelle's ankle, dragging her across the floor and into his lap.

"Hey Jake," Emmett jumped up from the floor, excitement evident on his face, "Guitar Hero three tonight. Be there."

"You know it baby," Jacob grinned at Emmett, his fingers moving over Annabelle's ribs, making her giggle as she tried wiggling away from him.

"Stop that," Edward growled over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Jacob.

"Get out of my head," Jacob stated calmly before he leaned down to kiss Annabelle's neck.

"When are we heading out to hunt," Jasper asked as he stretched out on the floor, resting his head on Alice's lap.

"Esme should be home in a few minutes," Carlisle looked down at his watch before looking back at the others, "Jacob."

"Yes sir," Jacob looked away from Annabelle's eyes, looking up at a man he was starting to respect in a way he didn't think possible.

"Seth Clearwater called," Carlisle watched a strange look cross his newest son's face, "His sister left the reservation four months ago. Seth thinks she's heading this way to find you."

"Why would he think that," Jacob did his best to hold back the pain that came with thinking of his old pack, "Leah and I aren't exactly friends."

"Well, he's been plotting the places she calls from and they all seem to be heading this way, or so he thinks. I just thought I should let you know…I'm sure it will be a shock for both of you when you see each other without the added element of surprise."

"Thanks Carlisle," Jacob turned back to Annabelle, smiling down into her dark eyes, which were filled with worry for him. He knew she not only felt unnecessary guilt for, what she continued saying, almost killing him, but she also felt guilt for making it impossible for him to ever see his family again.

Burying his face into Annabelle's hair, he couldn't help but wish that Seth was wrong. He didn't want to see Leah Clearwater…especially because he knew she would be the one least likely to understand his decision to this new life he had with those who he had once considered his enemies.


	14. Chapter 13

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Thirteen**

"_And don't you get it into your head to sneak out in the middle of the night," Harry tucked the blankets around Leah, knowing that if she were feeling normal, she wouldn't allow him to treat her like a little girl, "You'll just get lost and make more work for the rest of them."_

_Leah nodded as she turned to look out her window, wishing her dad would hurry up and leave. She had managed to tuck the sleeping pills under her pillow and as soon as she knew both her parents were asleep, she planned on doing exactly what her father had warned her not to do._

_She just had to find Sam…because she knew if she didn't, she was going to die without him._

_As she heard the door of her bedroom close behind her father, she turned her head to stare at the ceiling, straining to hear the sounds of her parents in the room across the hall from hers. Eventually, after what seemed like forever, they finally settled into bed. Now all she had to do was wait until her father started snoring, then she would be able to sneak out the window and go look for Sam._

_Leah hadn't meant to fall asleep, but waiting for her father to start snoring plus a combination of physical exhaustion and emotional numbness had her lose consciousness without her realizing it._

_It was sometime around two in the morning when a noise woke her up. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and turned towards her window, watching in silent surprise as Sam climbed in, holding the window with one hand so it wouldn't come crashing down._

_Leah's mouth opened in a silent sob as Sam moved across the room, sitting on her bed and reaching out to cup her face. Looking into his tired dark eyes, she couldn't help but start crying softly as she reached out to touch him._

"_Please tell me it's not a dream," she whispered softly as she gripped his arms, "Please tell me you're really here."_

"_Lee-lee," Sam leaned down to kiss her gently before wrapping his arms around her, "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."_

"_Oh God Sam," Leah lifted her head, kissing him with a desperation that she had never felt before, "Don't ever do that to me again."_

"_I won't," Sam pulled her closer, "I promise."_

_Leah fell back on her bed, pulling him along with her, her arms tight around his neck as she continued to kiss him with an edge that revealed the fear she had been living with for the past three days._

_Sam stretched out next to her, pulling back the covers so he could be closer to her, his hands sliding under the T-shirt she slept in, wanting, no needing, to be with her in the most elemental way, needing to remind himself that he still had something normal in Leah. _

_His whole life had just been turned upside down and he didn't understand how or why, but one thing he knew was that he still loved Leah with an all consuming passion and that was one thing he knew with certainty wouldn't change, something he could no longer say about himself._

_Leah shoved at his T-Shirt, which he quickly pulled off before grabbing the hem of hers and pulling it over her head, leaning down to kiss her breasts, his tongue tracing the lines on her body caused by the moonbeams that came in through the window. He could almost swear that he could taste the moonbeams themselves as he pulled off her boy-cut cotton underwear, pulling back to look down at her naked body._

"_You are so beautiful Lee-lee," Sam whispered against her mouth as he moved over her, realizing he was still wearing his jeans. Standing up, he quickly shed them, returning to Leah's side, wrapping his arms around her, closing his eyes at the cool feel of her skin against the hotness of his. _

_Moving a leg in between hers, he moved until she was on top of him, wanting to look into her eyes and remind himself that as long as those eyes continued to be his world, then he could handle what was going on with him._

"_I was so scared," Leah whispered as she looked into his dark ones, reaching up to trace the dark circles under his eyes with her fingertips, "I was afraid I'd lost you."_

"_Never," Sam lifted his head to kiss the tears leaking out of her beautiful brown-green eyes, "I had no idea what was going on or what to do, but one thing I knew was that I had to come back to you."_

_Leah moved against him, her legs falling either side of him as she lifted herself onto him and slowly took him into herself, both closing their eyes simultaneously at the feeling of connection and belonging this simple act brought to them. _

_Lifting his hips, he buried himself deep inside her as he brought down her face, moving his mouth over hers in a deep and slow way that she emulated with her body._

_The fire in both of their bodies burned slow and hot, keeping them enthralled with each other for what was left of the night. _

Leah sat up in her bed, tears streaming down her face as she hugged her body, willing the ache to go away. Their last time together had seemed like the beginning of a beautiful forever for them.

But not only was Fate a bitch, it also seemed to hate Leah Clearwater. And now that she looked back, Leah realized that the feeling of desperation that simmered below their passion for each other had really been a warning.

And although Leah would like nothing better than to spit in the face of Fate, she realized that she had some blame on what happened…she had ignored the facts staring her in the face.

Because although Sam had returned to her, the Sam she had held in her arms that night had not been the same Sam that she had held a couple of days before he disappeared. And when change of that magnitude happens, nothing, absolutely nothing remains the same.

"_Why won't you tell me where you were?" _

_Leah glared at Sam, her arms crossed tight across her chest, her anger at his refusal to say anything of the time he had disappeared growing as she kept looking at him._

"_Look, I have no idea what the hell was going on, okay," Sam shoved his hand into his hair, "It's not like I planned on what happened. I came back to you. Isn't that enough?"_

"_What the hell did happen, Sam," Leah pushed herself away from the side of the little house they were planning on buying, walking towards her car since they had decided to meet there instead of driving together, "Why did you even disappear in the first place?"_

"_Dammit Leah! I don't know," Sam fisted his hands, not liking the familiarity of his angry feelings, "Can't you just let it go?"_

"_No, I can't," Leah turned to look at him, shaking her head to clear her vision because for a second there, Sam was looking blurry, "Because while you were off God only knows where doing who knows what, I was in the hospital, worried sick about you."_

"_Look, I'm sorry okay," Sam breathed through his nose, willing himself to calm down, "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry that I fucked up. Once I figure out what the hell is going on with me, you'll be the first to know. Can we just go back inside and tell the real estate agent we'll take the damn house?"_

"_No," Leah turned away from Sam, "Because maybe the reason you took off is because you're not sure about this…about us."_

"_No Leah," Sam reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her hard against him, "It had nothing to do with us. The wedding is ten weeks away and I have every intention of being there. Please. Just trust me, okay?"_

_Leah looked up into his eyes, noticing the tired strained look on his face. "Okay. I'll trust you. Just tell the agent we'll call her once we make a decision, k? I have to meet Emily to do some last minute fitting for my dress."_

"_Lee-lee," Sam leaned down to kiss her lips, brushing his fingers against the side of her face, wanting to reassure her of his devotion, "I love you. I really do. And ten weeks is too long of a wait for you to become my wife."_

_Leah smiled up at him as she kissed him back, squeezing his hand before getting behind the wheel of her little Toyota, "It'll go by in a flash. You just wait and see."_

Leah looked around as she leaned against her car, holding the gas pump as the tank filled up. She had stayed in Toronto for three days, doing some sightseeing for the sake of getting good pictures for her mother. For some reason, she herself didn't really like Toronto…it was too big, too busy…she shook her head as she realized that she was comparing this big sprawling city to La Push.

She really did miss the overcast days, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, the driftwood bonfires they had occasionally put together at the last minute.

She missed her mother and her little brother…and as crazy as it may seem, she missed the pack. As for Sam, well…that was just a given.

_Sam walked into the store, wishing Leah was with him instead of with Emily in Port Angeles doing the dress thing they had to do. Heading towards the back of the store looking for Harry, he still couldn't figure out what to say as an explanation for what had happened a few weeks back. _

"_Oh sorry, Mr. Ateara," Sam reached out to hold Quil Ateara Sr. on his feet before he fell from almost running him over, "I didn't mean to run you over like that."_

_Quil Ateara Sr. stared at Sam with big eyes, his frail hand gripping Sam's with a strength that was surprising considering the man looked to be over a hundred, "Sam Uley, right?"_

"_Yes sir," Sam nodded as he pulled back his hand, wondering why the man was staring at him in that knowing way._

"_You're here to see Harry, aren't you," Quil Sr. cocked his head to the side, knowing that he needed to talk to Harry and Billy Black about Sam Uley and he needed to do it soon._

"_Yes sir."_

"_Aren't you dating his daughter?"_

"_Actually, Leah and I are engaged. The wedding's in ten weeks."_

"_Ah," Quil Sr. nodded his head slowly before stepping around Sam, his decision made to go to Billy Black first, "Sam, I think that after you tell Harry what happened in the woods, both of you need to come to Billy's. I'll be there waiting for both of you."_

"_How did you know I was in the woods," Sam's eyebrows lowered over his dark eyes as he turned to look at Mr. Ateara, "You know what happened to me, don't you?"_

"_I do," Quil Sr. nodded his head again, giving him an almost compassionate look, "Tell Harry what happened. He won't think you're crazy. Then tell him Billy and I will be waiting for both of you at Billy's place."_

_Sam stood there as Mr. Ateara hobbled out of the store, slightly confused but mostly angry that someone had known what was going on with him but had never told him, warned him before it happened. Instead, he had to deal with it on his own._

_The rest of Mr. Ateara's words sunk in and Sam spun around on his heel, moving to the back of the store in search of Harry, wanting an explanation of everything. Harry Clearwater was in on the secret and Sam felt that after the hell he went through, he deserved to be told what was going on._

Quil Ateara Sr. looked out the window, watching his grandson and Seth Clearwater walking towards his home, both of them deep in what looked like a serious discussion.

He shook his head as the door opened and he caught part of their conversation.

"-she's heading towards Jacob," Seth moved into the house, heading straight to the living room as if he lived there, "I've been plotting the places she calls from and that's the only logical destination."

"What the hell would she want with Jacob, though," Quil followed right behind Seth, bypassing the living room and moving into the kitchen, "Those two were never friends…sometimes they couldn't even stand each other. Besides, she wasn't all that nice when he decided to leave the pack to go after his bloodsucking imprint."

"I didn't say I was reading her mind, I said I was plotting her trip," Seth growled as he grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl in the center of the table, "I have no idea what she would want with Jacob or why she's heading that way, I am just theorizing that's where she's heading."

"Seth?"

"Yes sir," Seth walked out of the kitchen, followed by Quil, joining Mr. Ateara in the front living room.

"Where was Leah the last time she called," Quil Sr. couldn't help the feeling of concern as he looked at Seth and saw the evident worry over his sister that the boy carried around with him.

"She was in Michigan City. Mom said that Leah was heading up to Canada. At least, that's what mom told her to do."

"Canada?" Quil turned to look at his pack brother, "Considering that Jacob is in New Hampshire, which he may not be at, Canada's a little out of the way, don't you think?"

"I talked to Dr. Cullen –"

"You what?!" Quil sat up from the couch he had fallen back into a while ago, "Does Sam know?"

"No he doesn't," Seth rolled his eyes as he dropped to the floor, "But he will eventually. Anyway, I really meant to talk to Edward but Dr. Cullen answered. They are definitely in New Hampshire so I let him know that Leah may be heading that way. You know, just to give Jacob a heads up."

"Did you talk to Jacob?" Quil asked with a hopeful look, missing his brother and best friend like crazy. Even after three years, he still thought of Jacob that way.

"No…I said I talked to Dr. Cullen. Try to keep up," Seth shook his head as he finished peeling the orange, shoving it whole into his mouth.

"You know, Seth, even though you can shift into an animal, you don't have to eat like one," Quil's face was serious for a second before it split into a grin. He couldn't really say much because they all ate the same way, it's just that he enjoyed teasing Seth. The kid couldn't take a joke to save his life.

"Oh please," Seth grumbled after he swallowed the chewed up orange, "I've seen you swallow an entire hamburger without chewing."

"Seth?"

"Yes sir?" Seth turned to look at Mr. Ateara, noticing how old the Quilette elder looked. He couldn't help but pray that they wouldn't lose another elder…losing his dad had been tough on all of them.

"How is Leah doing?"

"She won't say. Mom tells me she just sounds more and more depressed every time she calls but she won't tell mom about what she's feeling or anything like that," Seth looked down at his hands before looking back at Mr. Ateara, "But I know my sister. A long road trip with nothing but music to distract her…she's making herself miserable by thinking back on her relationship with Sam. I wish I had gone with her. I would have kept her distracted."

"Yes you would have," Quil Sr. gave a reassuring smile to Seth, "But maybe that's what Leah needs. To look back on what she had before she lets go of it."

"What I'm afraid she'll end up doing is driving herself off a bridge," Seth looked away from both Atearas', looking out the window, wondering where his sister was, "It's not as if she hadn't tried killing herself once before. But this time, there won't be anybody there to stop her from dying."

"_What do you mean I can't tell Leah," Sam looked at the tribe elders, fisting his hands as he fought for control, "She's going to be my wife in ten weeks. She has a right to know about this."_

"_Sam," Harry reached out to grab his future son-in-law's shoulder, "I agree with you. But this must be kept secret. The only one you tell is your imprint. And you would know if Leah was your imprint."_

"_Imprint?" Sam turned to look at Harry, his dark eyes looking wary and slightly scared, "Aside from the fact that I can phase into a werewolf because there's a coven of vampires in Forks, there's more weird stuff involved?"_

"_Yes," Quil Sr. nodded his head, understanding Sam's anger and fear. Their duty as protectors of their people had never been easy to understand but it had to be fulfilled, "There is much involved with being a werewolf. And imprinting is one of those things. It's rare, and it doesn't happen to everyone, but when it does happen, which usually occurs after you phase for the first time, you will know."_

"_What the hell is imprinting," Sam pushed himself out of the sofa, walking away from the elders as he stood by the window._

"_If you have to ask, then you haven't imprinted," Harry said softly, his eyes slightly sad as he hoped and prayed, for the sake of his daughter, that Sam would never imprint. _

"_It's when you meet that one person you were made for," Billy spoke up, moving his chair so he could see Sam's profile, "She becomes the center of your world, your gravity so to speak. Everything that defined you ceases to exist and she alone becomes your definition. As Quil said, it is a rare thing that has only happened once or twice from those times we have had wolves."_

"_Leah is my everything," Sam turned to glare at Billy before turning to look Harry in the eye, "I have no intention of leaving her. To hell with this imprinting thing and to hell with not telling her. She's going to be my wife and she needs to know about this."_

_Sam walked out of the house before any of the elders could stop him, his head reeling with all the legends and information they had given him. He would not be alone. The others would eventually join him, but because he was the first one, he would be the Alpha of the pack. _

_Sam shook his head as he recalled Billy's words, "That is, unless Jacob phases. Being that my father was the last Chief of the Quilettes, it is Jacob's rightful place to become the Alpha."_

_Sam didn't wish his hell on any of the other Quilette boys but if he had to be honest, he hoped Jacob would phase soon, that way he could just hand over the responsibility of being the Alpha. Apparently because he was a Black, Jacob was supposed to be able to handle it. _

_Sam didn't care either way._

_Knocking on Leah's back door, he waited until she opened it, exclaiming in surprise as he wrapped his arms around her, his lips crashing into hers, reassuring himself that this, what he had with Leah, was what defined him. She was his heart, his world, his everything. _

"_Sam," Leah pulled back, touching her bruised lips, "Are you okay?"_

"_Yeah," Sam brushed his lips against her forehead, "I need to talk to you."_

"_Come in," Leah stepped back, her left hand in his as she lead him to the kitchen table, "I was working on the seating chart. Emily should get here in half an hour after she closes the store so we could finalize the menu."_

_He grabbed the chair and turned it around, straddling it as he played with Leah's engagement ring, turning it around her finger again and again, "I want a steak. Medium rare. With a baked potato, honey baked beans and corn on the cob."_

"_Silly," Leah leaned over to kiss his cheek, "The choice is between chicken and beef. The rest of the food is decided by the caterer."_

"_Is the caterer going to be eating it," Sam mumbled as he looked down at the table, his eyebrows rising as he took stock of everything, "What's all this?"_

"_Well," Leah pulled out a magazine and flipped through it, which was a little hard to do because Sam refused to let go of her left hand, "I am trying to make up my mind about the wedding cake. Which one do you like best?"_

_Sam stared at the two pictures that Leah pointed out, his brain short-circuiting as he tried to figure out which one Leah liked because he honestly didn't care as long as it tasted good._

"_This one?"_

_Leah smiled up at him as she grabbed a marker and circled the one he had pointed out, which was a beautiful four tiered butter cream cake with vibrant colored sugar flowers at the base, "Good choice."_

"_So I picked the right one," Sam sighed with relief as he ran his hand through his long hair, suddenly realizing that he was going to have to cut it off so he wouldn't be so shaggy when he phased._

"_It was not about picking the right cake, silly. I asked you which one you liked." Leah looked at him, smiling as she watched him play with his long hair, "We need to get your tuxedo next week. Your cummerbund is going to be a deep blue. Or would you like another color?"_

"_Blue's fine," Sam lifted their joined hands, kissing the back of hers, "I was thinking I could cut my hair for the wedding."_

"_No!" Leah gave him a look of horror as she reached out to run her fingers through it, "Just tie it back in a ponytail. I like your hair like this."_

"_Oh," Sam shrugged as if it had just been a sudden idea, "Just thought it was a good idea."_

"_Well, it isn't," Leah leaned over to kiss his mouth, "You said you wanted to talk to me about something, remember?"_

"_Yeah, I did," Sam took a deep breath as he wondered how to start with this bizarre story that was now his life, "Remember how I told you once I found out about –"_

"_Leah!"_

"_Oh, that's Emily," Leah exclaimed as she jumped from the table, dragging Sam along, "She's a little early. Guess it must have been slow at the store. Anyway, wait until you see the bridesmaid dresses. I'll have Emily model it for you."_

_For some strange reason, Sam didn't want to go into the living room, although something other than Leah's hand was pulling him that way. Locking his jaw, he turned the corner of the hallway after Leah, fighting this strange pull that reminded him of a magnet. What the hell was going on?_

"_Sam! It's great to see you again," Emily smiled over her shoulder at her cousin's fiancé, dropping her purse on the couch, three dress bags on her other hand, "I just picked up the bridesmaid dresses, Lee. They look great! I think Sam will like them."_

"_I think he will too," Leah looked up at Sam, a smile on her face before she turned to look at Emily, "You willing to model one of them?"_

"_Of course," Emily turned around to face Leah and Sam, her brown eyes locking with his dark ones._

"_Emily."_


	15. Chapter 14

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__ As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I was going to hold out for a week before posting this chapter, to leave y'all hangin' as SamJay suggested I do, but I couldn't take it anymore! This story is taking a very interesting turn and it seems that Leah's roadtrip (and memories) are coming faster and faster to an end which will lead to an interesting beginning to a different life for Leah. I hope y'all learn to see Leah as a person that has tried to deal with the crap that Fate handed her. Please let me know what y'all think and feel about how this story is going! Your reviews inspire me to continue what Leah keeps sharing with me!  
**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Leah bolted upright, burying her face in her hands to muffle her cries. The way Sam's voice had sounded when he said her cousin's name on the last day that everything was normal between them haunted her in her sleeping hours and her waking ones. It was the constant nightmare she had, hearing it over and over again.

_Emily._

Leah threw back the bedcovers, heading to the bathroom and turning on the cold water in the shower. She never bothered with the hot water because she was hot enough not to notice how cold the water was. Stripping off her t-shirt and boy-cut cotton underwear, she stepped into the shower, wishing the water could get into her brain, take everything away.

Sam had tried after that day. Leah couldn't deny it. He had stuck around for another week, did his best to ignore what had happened, to pretend his world hadn't shifted from Leah to Emily. But in the end, it hadn't worked because not only was Emily his world and gravity, she was the very air he breathed and the reason for his existence.

_Emily looked up from the counter where she was rearranging some of the displays to watch her cousin's fiancé walk into the store, "Hey Sam. What can I do for you?"_

"_I was just passing by," Sam shrugged as he moved towards the counter, leaning against it, "Thought I'd see how you were doing."_

"_Oh," Emily's eyebrows lowered, her brown eyes confused since this was a new occurrence, "I'm alright, I guess."_

"_What's wrong?"_

"_What makes you think anything is wrong?"_

"_I just –" Sam looked down at the counter, faking interest on the contents he could see through the glass, "The tone of your voice, I suppose."_

"_Well, I'm feeling a little blue," Emily shrugged as she moved to sit on the stool before the cash register, a few feet away from Sam, "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you and Leah, but –"_

_Sam gripped the end of the counter, having a difficult time not reaching out for Emily, "But?"_

"_I guess I wish it were happening to me too," Emily looked down at her hands, her long black hair sliding over her shoulders to create a curtain that covered her face, "I guess I'm just afraid I'll never find a guy that will love me the way you love Leah."_

"_I'm sure you will," Sam muttered, unable to stop himself from reaching out and taking her hand, giving her slender fingers a squeeze._

"_I suppose…I don't just want someone who'll love me, you know," Emily looked up at him, a soft smile on her lips as she squeezed his hand back, "I want someone who will look at me the way you look at Leah…as if I were his entire world."_

"_Someday Emily," Sam leaned forward to look deep into her eyes, "A guy is going to come along, look into your eyes and see that you are his world…the very gravity that holds him in place. He'll look at you and know that you are his very soul…you are the reason why he exists."_

_Emily stared back at him, her heart beating double time before she smiled shyly, mentally scolding herself for having romantic thoughts towards her cousin's fiancé, "Leah's right. You are a romantic. Thanks Sam. You've made me feel a whole lot better."_

"_That's what I'm here for," Sam smiled at her, wanting nothing more than to lean in and kiss her but he fought it, because he didn't love her, not the way he loved Leah. _

_The problem was that he now knew that he didn't need to love Emily to need her the same way he needed air. _

_He couldn't help wonder how long he could go without air…he knew he wasn't going to survive this._

Sam picked up his little girl, smiling in response to her smile, "Hello Bailey girl. Did you have a good sleep?"

The little girl gurgled in response, giving her father another smile that just wrapped him tighter around her little fingers.

"That's right. Smile for daddy. Daddy's the man of your life, isn't he," Sam kissed her cheek, loving the baby giggles that escaped her, "Let's change your diaper and take you to mama, okay? Your brother's almost done eating and it's your turn next."

He efficiently changed her diaper, making her smile and giggle throughout the entire process before he picked her up and walked across the hall towards the room he shared with Emily.

"Here's Bailey girl. Is my Bradley boy done?"

"Yes, he is," Emily grinned up at Sam as she handed her son to Sam, taking her daughter from his other arm, "There's my girl. Ready to eat?"

"I've been ready forever, mama," Sam answered for her, bending down to kiss Emily before walking out of the room, Bradley cradled in his arms, his big brown eyes staring up at his father with a solemnity that Sam found endearing.

"Hey there my little man," Sam smoothed his hand over his son's dark curls, "Enjoyed your late night dinner?"

Bradley wiggled in response, his little face serious and his eyes slowly dropping with sleep.

"You're already acting like a man," Sam sat down in the rocking chair they had moved into the nursery from the living room, "A full tummy and some time with a pretty girl and you are content enough to fall asleep."

Bradley opened his brown eyes, so like his mother's, to stare at his father. Sam smiled down at him as he continued to rock him, watching in fascination as Bradley yawned, his little round mouth opening as wide as possible, his little arms stretching above his head.

It was for this reason that things happened the way they had. Sam knew that and he understood that, and now he even embraced it all. Leah had gotten the short end of the stick, and he hurt for her because of what she had once meant to him, but he couldn't regret it. Not anymore. Not the way he did at the beginning after that horrible day where he had to watch the heart of the woman he loved break right before his eyes.

"_Sam!" Leah jumped into his arms after opening the front door, moving to kiss his lips but he moved his head to the side and her kiss landed on his cheek._

"_Hey Lee," Sam placed her on the ground, his dark eyes expressing a wealth of sadness that scared Leah, "I was wondering if you would take a walk to the beach with me."_

"_Actually, I'm finishing some last minute details," Leah looked over her shoulder into the living room, her stomach clenching with dread, "The wedding's eight weeks away. Can you believe it?"_

"_Leah," Sam reached out to grasp her chin, making her look at him, "We really need to talk."_

"_Well," Leah swallowed hard as she clasped her hands, automatically playing with her engagement ring, "I suppose we can go down to the beach for a few minutes. You can give me your opinion about some stuff."_

_Sam inclined his head as he stepped back, letting her walk out of the house, closing the door behind her. _

_Leah knew something was horribly wrong because he didn't reach out to take her hand, the way he normally did. She clutched her hands against her stomach, telling herself that she was stupid, crazy, that nothing was wrong. It was just wedding jitters. Sam would never hurt her; he would never break his promises to her._

_She was imagining his strange behavior of the last week; she was seeing things that weren't there whenever Emily was around them. She kept telling herself that the looks she caught Sam giving Emily meant nothing. That the way his voice sounded when he said her name was normal. She was just being paranoid because she was nervous about the wedding. _

_She didn't even realize they had reached the beach until Sam grasped her arm, halting her sightless walk. _

"_Thanks," she smiled nervously up at him, her voice high with fake cheerfulness, "I was thinking about the things I need to get done for the wedding that I probably would have walked right into the ocean if you hadn't stopped me."_

"_Leah," Sam looked into her eyes, his heart already bleeding because of what he knew he had no choice but to do._

"_I was thinking that we should get a two tired grooms cake," Leah crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her weight, "German chocolate of course. Your favorite."_

"_Lee."_

"_I also realized that it would be courteous to offer a vegetarian choice for dinner. I talked to the caterers and although it's last minute, they said it wouldn't be a problem to add that to the menu."_

"_Lee, please."_

"_We've already had about seventy-five people RSVP. Some gifts have arrived from those who can't come, so mom and I have already mailed them thank you notes. Wait until you see some of the stuff they've given us."_

"_Leah." _

_Leah finally stopped, swallowing hard several times before she looked up at him, her brown-green eyes filling with tears, her heart beating hard as she whispered, "The wedding's not going to happen, is it?"_

"_I'm so sorry Lee-lee," Sam looked down at the pebbles under their feet, a lump in his throat as his own eyes started filling up with hot tears._

"_It's Emily, right?" Leah kept her eyes on him, wanting to see his face, "I've seen how you've been looking at her this past week. It's strange…you look at her in a way that you've never looked at me before."_

"_Leah, I wish I could explain," Sam swallowed hard as he reached up to wipe a tear from Leah's face. His hand hung in midair when she moved back, not letting him touch her. He closed his eyes, the aching regret tearing his broken heart into smaller pieces._

"_Yeah, but I bet you won't," Leah couldn't help the venom that dripped from her words, "Just like you wouldn't explain why you disappeared two months ago. You promised me it had nothing to do with us…but I bet it has everything to do with what you're doing to me now."_

_Sam took a deep breath; he was doing his best to be strong enough to take her angry words…he knew he deserved them._

"_I guess that's what I get for believing that promises are suppose to be kept," Leah scrubbed her hand angrily over her face, willing the tears to go away but they just kept coming, "And that's all you ever did, isn't it Sam? Made promises? I really shouldn't blame you, because I was stupid enough to believe you."_

_Sam swallowed down the pain that her words caused because he knew she spoke the truth…he was a promise breaker…just like his father. But unlike his father, Sam didn't have a choice. But he couldn't explain that to Leah and it was killing him. Because he knew she deserved to know why he was tearing her world apart. _

"_Just do me one favor," Leah pulled off her ring as she handed it to him, a wariness on her eyes that he had never seen there before._

_He reached out for the ring automatically, his hand fisting around it, the diamond cutting into his palm due to the strength he clutched it with, "Anything."_

"_You let everyone else know the wedding's not going to happen," Leah stepped back, her eyes on him, her heart laying at his feet in pieces because of him, "It's up to you to let them know why. Make sure you come by the house when I'm not there to pick up all the gifts and return them. I'll have mom give you all the phone numbers so you can cancel everything. And I guess it's only fair for you to ask dad for the bill since it's because of you that this wedding's not going to happen."_

_Leah turned away before he could say anything, quickly walking towards the forest line that bordered the opposite end of the beach._

_Sam stood there, holding the ring in his hand, his heart bleeding at what he had done. He had broken her heart but what he hadn't told her was that he had cut his out of his chest and crushed it by letting her go. _

_Tears ran down his face as he looked down at the solitaire in the middle of his hand, hatred for himself welling inside, hatred over what he was, hatred for what he had no choice but to do to the love of his life, hatred for this uncontrollable need to be near someone other than Leah. _

_Pulling his arm back, he flung the ring out into the ocean before falling to his knees and finally letting go of his pain, his tears flowing unceasingly down his face, the regret at the way his life had turned out tasting bitter in his mouth._

Leah slammed on the brakes, watching the dog dart across the street, her eyes following it as it disappeared into the horizon.

Leaning her head back, she sighed before pressing the accelerator, heading down the highway again. She was somewhere between Toronto and Montreal. She didn't care enough to remember where exactly and by now, all towns had blurred into one.

Turning on the radio, she found a country station just as _Homewrecker_ by Gretchen Wilson came on. Leah laughed as she thought back to the weeks after the break-up.

Sam had tried his best, probably out of some need to be fair to her, but in the end, he only lasted three days before he went looking for Emily.

He didn't tell her about being a werewolf or about imprinting, or even about letting Leah think that he had feelings for her. Especially because Emily, being the good cousin she was supposed to have been, was mad at Sam for what he had done.

Emily had been there for Leah, had held her while she cried. She had given Sam a piece of her mind concerning over what he had done.

Leah never told her that she believed Sam broke up with her because he had deep feelings for Emily…all she said, through chocking sobs and tears, was that Sam had found someone else…apparently, someone better.

Leah hadn't blamed Emily for Sam's feelings…she knew her cousin would never have done anything to encourage Sam or that she would in any way accept Sam's feelings.

How wrong she was.

Emily stood by her until that fateful day that she was attacked by the "bear." Leah had spent days in the hospital with Emily, wallowing in self-pity but doing her best to offer support to her cousin because she had done the same when Leah had needed her.

It was ironic to Leah, the fact that the brutal attack Emily had suffered was what had her claim Sam for her own, and it became even more ironic when Leah found out what had really happened.

In the end, the pain of Sam's betrayal was intensified by Emily's and Leah couldn't help but hate them both, although she was able to fake otherwise.

Everyone saw her as strong, dealing with everything that was going on with grace.

That is, until the first Saturday of July –the day she was supposed to have become Mrs. Sam Uley.


	16. Chapter 15

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: This is an intense chapter but don't worry. Things sometimes have to get worse before they get better. This is not the end.  
**

**Chapter Fifteen**

_It was simple, really. A fifth of whiskey to thin the blood so she could bleed out faster and a broken shaver to provide the means of cutting her wrist, six inches away from the hand, right down the center._

_Leah had read that many who attempt suicide by slicing their wrists open survived because they cut across the wrist instead of down the center. Leah had no intention of surviving so she made sure to check, realizing that by slicing downward, she would be severing multiple veins. _

_That worked for her._

_The last eight weeks had been hell on earth for her. Emily was out of the hospital and spending time with Sam, helping him through whatever unnecessary guilt he had concerning the bear that had attacked her. It seemed that just because he had been the one to find her and take her to the hospital, he felt personally responsible for what had happened._

_A once beautiful Emily now had scars down the right side of her face, neck and arm, ending to the back of her hand. Normally, Leah would have empathized with her cousin but not now. Not after Emily had finally reached out to Sam and started mirroring his feelings, whatever they may be._

_But the last straw was watching her little brother become a part of the gang of Quilette boys that followed Sam around. It was ridiculous, really, how all these teenage boys who didn't even talk to Sam before were now his cronies, all of them practically looking the same. Leah couldn't help but wonder if Sam had discovered some divine secret during his disappearance and started the cult that were the Quilette boys._

_Her father called them protectors. Leah couldn't help but think of them as morons, idiots who looked almost identical and hung on Sam's every movement and word. _

_They were all stuck up Sam's butt, that's for sure._

_She was faking handling everything with grace, even as far as helping Emily pack and move to a small house near the beach that she would be sharing with Sam.  
_

_But today…today she couldn't handle. _

_Today was supposed to have been the happiest day of her life; it was supposed to have been the beginning of forever with Sam for her._

_Instead it was the blackest day…even worst than the day Sam had taken back his ring. So Leah had decided that it would be the last day of her life, an ending to the misery her life had become. She wasn't thinking of what it would do to her parents or her brother._

_And she just hoped that both Sam and Emily were weighed with guilt from now until forever for what they had pushed her into doing._

_Leah unscrewed the lid of the bottle of whiskey she had swiped from her father's store, sitting on the side of her bed, her wedding dress hanging on the door of her closet where she could see it. Taking a swig, she wondered if Emily was planning on asking for help with the wedding plans._

_The whiskey ran down her throat, burning fiercely. Leah gasped in surprise, swallowing to try to calm the fire. After a few seconds, she took another swig, grimacing as it burned a second path down her throat._

_Soon, she was halfway through the bottle, a pleasant warmth spreading throughout her body, the whiskey no longer burning. Putting the bottle on the small side table beside her bed, she headed to her desk and pulled out scissors._

_Pulling her beautiful dress off the hanger, she briefly remembered what she had looked like the first time she had tried it on. She had spend an hour staring at herself in the mirror, realizing that she had found the dress she would be wearing to become Mrs. Sam Uley._

_Grabbing the bottle, she took another swig before snipping into the neckline of the dress, tossing the scissors aside and grabbing the fabric with both hands and pulling, the rent of fabric sounding similar to the tearing of her heart._

_Alternating between her hands, scissors, and the whiskey bottle, Leah lasted a few minutes venting out her pain and anger on what had once been a beautiful creation of art. She dropped the last pieces of fabric at her feet, stepping on them as she returned to her bed, swaying a bit from all the alcohol in her system. _

_Crawling into the center of her bed, she grabbed the bottle and swallowed what was left of the whiskey before dropping it on the floor, taking the blade she had broken off from her shaver and holding out her left arm first._

_Pressing the razor onto the base of her wrist, she watched a drop of blood bloom on her skin, giggling as she realized another bonus factor of getting drunk before she did this –she couldn't feel the pain that came with that first cut. _

_Digging it deeper into her skin, she dragged the blade down the center of her arm, the bright red blood blooming and flowing, stopping a couple of inches from her elbow crease. Taking the blade with her bloody left hand, she did the same to her right arm, watching in fascination at the amount of blood flowing._

_Falling back onto her pillow, she laid there with her arms at her sides, realizing that she had been right. Alcohol did make the thin blood flow faster._

_Leah smiled because she had succeeded…she was fading…fading away from everything that had gone oh so wrong…_

Seth growled as he ran patrols, wishing he knew where his sister was. Although Leah had promised mother that she wouldn't last more than two days without calling, it was now four days since the last time she had called.

Seth couldn't help but worry and be afraid that his sister had done something reckless…maybe not as stupid and reckless as getting drunk and slicing herself open, but equally dangerous and possibly permanent this time around.

**Sam: **_Seth, pay attention to what you're doing. You're getting too close to the road. Someone will see you._

**Seth: **_Fuck you, Sam._

**Sam: **_Seth, I know you're angry at me. I know you blame me for Leah being gone. And I know if something happened to her, you would hold it against me. But you can't let that get in the way of your responsibilities._

**Seth: **_You know what kills me Sam? That you no longer care about her. And this time around, you can't say it's not true._

**Sam: **_I do care about her Seth. She's part of my pack…she's my sister as well as yours._

**Seth: **_Bullshit. Involuntary feelings of family or whatever does not count. You don't care about her as a person, not the way you did at first. That was the only reason I was able to put up with you when I first joined the pack. Because I was able to see that you still loved my sister. The way you loved her before all this happened. But now…I see nothing. _

**Sam: **_Seth –_

**Seth: **_Do you know what it was like for me? The day that I found her? _

**Sam: **_I know it must have been horrible._

Seth scoffed mentally at Sam's words, feeling righteously angry on his sister's behalf. He wasn't usually a malicious person but this time around, he wanted to bring Sam to his knees. Leah had blocked this one memory and so had he, so Sam had never seen or felt what it had been like that day…that horrible day that Seth had come home exhausted from running patrols.

_Seth walked into his house, yawning as he moved across the living room and into the kitchen where his father and mother were sitting, talking about everything that was going on. Now that her son was a werewolf, Sue had been told about everything._

_Seth grinned as he thought about being a werewolf, loving the fact that he was what he thought a cool superhero…he was like Jacob and that, he felt was awesome. The only downside of being what he was and doing what he did with the others was that his sister had stopped talking to him, expressing her anger at his following Sam by giving him the silent treatment along with a heavy dose of the cold shoulder._

_Although to the outside world, Leah showed a graceful loser face concerning Sam, at home it was more than obvious that Leah was viciously angry and miserable…she seemed unable to stop taking it out on those who cared about her…in other words, her family. _

_Seth wished he could give Sam a serious thrashing for what he had done to his sister, but unfortunately he couldn't do that to his Alpha, so Seth had to give up that idea._

_Walking by the stairs, he stopped, his nose wrinkling at a strange smell in the air. Sniffing, he walked up the stairs and down the hallway until he stopped outside Leah's door, where the smell was strongest._

_Turning the doorknob, he found the door locked, which was no surprise considering Leah spent her days behind a locked door. He stood there, his nose wrinkling as he tried to place the smell._

_His eyes widened as he realized what it was that he was smelling._

"_Dad! DAD!" Seth ran towards the stair railing, yelling down to his father, "I smell blood coming from Leah's room!"_

"_What?!" His parents ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs, Sue reaching her daughter's room first, grabbing the doorknob only to find it locked._

"_Leah! Leah!" Sue turned towards her son, who had grown immensely since he'd first phased, "Break down the door, Seth."_

_Seth rushed to the door, not hesitating and knocking it down, stumbling to a stop at the sight before him._

_He watched in shock as his parents ran into the room and headed towards the bed, where Leah laid with her eyes closed, arms at her sides. It seemed like the blood was everywhere, covering her arms, soaking into her clothes, into the bedcovers and there was even blood dripping onto the floor. _

_Seth watched in horror as his mother fell to the floor, her knees landing on a pile of fabric scraps that took Seth a while to identify as what had been his sister's wedding dress._

"_She still has a pulse," Harry called out, his hand on Leah's throat, tears running down his face, "Grab some towels, Seth. Sue, go get the car. We don't have time to wait for an ambulance."_

_Seth turned around quickly, tearing down the hallway towards the linen closet, yanking the door off it's hinges, tossing it aside as he grabbed a stack of towels. His mother was already downstairs and Seth quickly moved into Leah's room, helping his father wrap her arms in the thick towels to try to staunch the bleeding._

"_Oh God Leah. Why? Why would you go to this extreme," Harry whispered hoarsely as he bent over the bed trying to pick her up, his breath heavy with tears. _

_Seth laid his hand on his father's shoulder before reaching for Leah himself, cradling her gently in his arms as his father tucked her arms tight against her stomach to try to put pressure on the bleeding._

_Seth, followed by Harry, moved quickly down the stairs and out of the house, getting into the back of the car with his sister in his lap, his face still frozen in shock as he looked down at her face._

_Her pale face seemed to be getting paler and Seth lowered his face close to hers, afraid that she had stopped breathing. He could feel her faint breath against his hot cheek as his mother tore out of their driveway, driving down the road towards Forks at full speed. _

_It took all of a few minutes to get to the hospital with the way his mother was driving. Seth didn't wait for them to open his door, simply kicking the door open, knowing his father would be fine about replacing it. _

_Running into the emergency room with his parents behind him and his dying sister in his arms, he called out to the first doctor he saw._

"_Help!" Seth's nose wrinkled in pain at the sharp sweet scent as the doctor turned and rushed towards them, his face showing that he already knew what had happened, "My sister sliced her wrists open. I don't know how long she's been bleeding but Dad felt a pulse."_

_Several nurses rushed over with a gurney, insisting that Seth place his sister on it. And although Seth didn't want to let go of his sister, or let this particular doctor get close to her, he went ahead and did as he was told._

_Dr. Cullen pulled back the towels, quickly assessing the damage before he told the nurse to prepare the op room STAT._

_The nurses took Leah away as Dr. Cullen turned towards the shaken family, his butterscotch eyes filled with concern, "We'll do the best that we can." _

_Sue turned into Harry's arms, her sobs so hard she was having difficulty breathing. Seth turned to look at his parents, seeing an unhealthy ashen color on his father's face. For the first time, Seth realized that his parents were old and that if Leah died, they may not survive it._

_A nurse approached them all, leading them to a family waiting room, bringing a doctor to check out Sue, who prescribed a sedative to calm her down. The doctor looked over Harry, worried over the color of his skin. Then he turned to Seth, an eyebrow rising as he looked him over._

"_How are you feeling, son," the doctor asked as he placed his fingers on Seth's wrist, intent on counting his pulse, "You have a fever."_

"_No, I feel fine," Seth's voice was bleak as he pulled away, "Just look after my parents. I have to go…tell someone…about my sister…"_

"_I don't think you should go yet," the doctor tried to stop Seth but stepped back when he stood up. The boy was huge! "You're too shaken up."_

"_Yeah," Seth muttered as he looked down at himself, realizing for the first time that all he wore were cut off jeans. His chest, arms and lap were covered in Leah's blood and that realization caused him to start shaking, "I gotta go."_

"_Wait," the doctor blinked as the boy rushed down the hallway towards the exit doors. Shaking his head, he turned back to Harry, deciding that if the man's color didn't improve in a few minutes, he would be admitting him as well._

_Seth rushed out of the hospital, running towards the forest that was several streets away. As soon he crossed the first few trees, he phased, leaving behind his bloody jeans in shreds. He was amazed to realize that there was no one in the pack patrolling so he had to head straight to Emily and Sam's place._

_Running right into the house in four legs, he phased, knowing that he would look a sigh, naked and still covered in blood._

"_Seth!" Emily jumped up from the kitchen table where she had been talking with Sam. It looked like all the other brothers were on a break or something, "What happened to you?"_

"_Not me," Seth's eyes welled up in tears as he finally allowed himself to react to what he had seen, "Leah."_

_Sam's face blanched as he stood up, gripping the table hard enough to break it, "What happened to Leah?"_

_Seth felt a twinge of regret because he knew that Sam still loved Leah, something that they were all able to see and feel when they were in wolf form. He knew that the news of what Leah had done would seriously hurt Sam, as well as Emily for that matter, "She's in the hospital. In surgery."_

"_What happened to Leah," Sam asked again, his dark eyes filled with pain at the fact that Leah, the woman he still loved, was physically hurt._

"_She –" Seth stopped, not because he didn't want to tell them but because he was still reeling in shock at what his sister had done, "She sliced her wrists open. She was barely alive when we found her."_

_Emily gasped as she sat back down, covering her mouth with her scarred hand, her eyes welling with tears. But that was nothing compared to Sam's reaction…he fell to his knees, a loud cry escaping him and echoing in the house as he buried his face in his hands._

**Sam: **_Stop! Seth, please…stop._

**Seth: **_Now you know. It wasn't horrible...it was hell.  
_

Seth phased, not wanting to share thoughts with Sam anymore. He decided to head back to talk to his mother, convince her to let him go after Leah. Someone had to watch out for her.

Sam lowered himself to his stomach, placing his paws over his head as he recalled the pain that had splintered him into pieces the day Seth told him what Leah had done.

Sam and Emily had been together for a few weeks, after Emily came to him, rescuing him from the pain and guilt he had been drowning in after he had mauled her. And although they lived together, they didn't sleep in the same room.

Not when Sam still woke up in the middle of the night, his arms aching to hold his Leah close to him. But he no longer had his Leah…she wasn't his anymore, for that matter.

He learned that he loved Emily due to the imprinting but he had yet to make that voluntary choice to love her at that time. And she had been so understanding about it all that it made him hurt even more because he was hurting her.

She had feelings for him, he knew that, and because she was his imprint, he wanted to return those feelings. But how was he to tell his heart that it should love Emily when it still belonged to Leah? His soul seemed to be in tune with the whole imprinting business but his heart was being stubborn.

And his heart had nearly stopped because of the intensity of the pain that day that Seth ran into the house that he and Emily shared, covered in blood and pale with shock.

_Sam walked into the dim hospital room, Emily a shadow behind him. His eyes automatically went to Leah's face, watching her sleep with an intensity that revealed the strength of his love for her. _

_He quietly approached the bed, his eyes moving down to her arms, biting his lower lip as he saw the thick white gauze wrapped from wrist to elbow on both arms, an IV on the crease of her right elbow. _

_He stood there, just looking at her, Emily standing back a few feet. Several minutes later, the door opened and the doctor walked in, a chart in one hand as he approached the bed._

_Sam turned to glare at him, a growl building up in his throat as his nose wrinkled in pain. Emily reached out to touch his shoulder, silently encouraging him to calm down._

"_Sam Uley, I presume," Carlisle placed the chart on the foot of Leah's bed, his butterscotch eyes locked with Sam's dark eyes._

"_Dr. Cullen," Sam intoned darkly, a hatred welling inside him for, not only the doctor, but his entire family. If it hadn't been for them, he wouldn't be here by Leah's bedside but by the side of an altar, declaring his love for her before all their friends and family._

"_Your fiancée is going to be alright," Carlisle kept his eyes on Sam, noticing how the Quilette cringed, his dark eyes narrowing in some inner turmoil._

"_She's not my fiancée anymore," Sam muttered, regret and pain lacing every word._

"_Ah," Carlisle nodded once as he turned to look at Leah, his eyes moving down to her arms before he turned back to Sam, "I understand now. We're giving her a transfusion…she lost a lot of blood but we managed to suture the severed veins and her arms in time. Unfortunately, she was already suffering from toxic shock."_

"_Toxic shock," Sam's eyebrows lowered in confusion as he turned to look at Emily over his shoulder before looking back at the vampire doctor._

"_Alcohol poisoning," Carlisle cocked his head to the side, "Miss Clearwater drank enough alcohol to get three grown men drunk. I assume she did it to thin out her blood, bleed out faster. She almost succeeded in killing herself with the alcohol alone…the wrists were just extra insurance, but I supposed she didn't know that much alcohol would have done the trick."_

"_Will she be alright," Sam whispered as he took Leah's cool hand in his hot one, his thumb rubbing lightly over her knuckles._

"_She hasn't woken up since we brought her out of surgery although the anesthesia has worn out by now. We will be keeping her under twenty-four hour surveillance and keep her a little longer to ensure her mental and emotional well-being. I'm having a counselor come in and talk to her later today."_

_Sam nodded at the man he blamed for all this before turning back to Leah, not paying attention as the doctor picked up the chart and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him._

_Sam dropped down to his knees, the bed at waist level due to his height, both hands holding Leah's, his eyes on her face as he willed her to wake up._

_An hour later, he still hadn't moved as neither had Emily. Sam's eyes stayed on Leah's face the entire time, his hands still holding hers._

_He took in a breath as she slowly opened her eyes, releasing it when she focused on him._

"_Sam," she whispered, a small smile spreading across her lips as she reached out with her other hand to touch his face._

"_Lee-lee," Sam chocked back a sob as he leaned over her, kissing her forehead, her cheek, wishing he could kiss her lips, "Oh God Lee-lee."_

_Leah reached up to touch his hair, which he had cut short a few weeks back, "You cut your hair. I thought I told you not to do that."_

"_I'm sorry Lee-lee," Sam sobbed as he fell back to his knees, burying his face in her stomach, "I'm so sorry. Please, baby…please don't do this again."_

_Leah moved her hand over Sam's head, a soft look on her face as she started to comfort him but then she caught a glimpse of Emily out of the corner of her eye._

_Holding still, she remembered what had happened and why. Dropping her hand back onto the bed, she turned her head to look out the window, her eyes blank._

"_Please leave."_

"_Lee-lee," Sam looked up at her face, his eyes swollen but even with that, he could still see the guarded look on her face._

"_Don't call me that," Leah muttered in a flat tone as she continued to stare out the window, the hand in Sam's no longer gripping his back._

"_Leah," Emily stepped forward, reaching out to touch her cousin's shoulder, expecting her to flinch. Instead, Leah just laid there, as if she didn't feel her touch, "We're so sorry. We know it's not easy for you…it's not easy for us. This isn't fair to you. We know that. Please…"_

_Emily swallowed back her tears as she watched Leah continue to stare out the window, her face curiously empty. _

"_Leah, sweetheart," Sam reached out to brush his fingers against her face, wanting her to turn and look at him so he can look into those brown-green eyes that he loved so much, "I love you. Really, I do. But I don't –I can't –God, I wish I could tell you what the hell is going on. Please, baby, please look at me."_

_Leah slowly blinked but didn't respond in anyway, having already said what she wanted to say to either of them. Instead, she just stared out the window, wondering where she had gone wrong._

"_Sam…Emily," Harry walked into the room, followed by Sue and Seth, surprise on his face. He hadn't expected them to be here._

"_Harry," Sam nodded to his fellow elder before turning to Sue, taking a step back at the glare she was giving him. He realized that she blamed him for this and he didn't fault her…he blamed himself for it too._

_Seth walked around to the opposite side of the bed, kneeling down to look into his sister's face, reaching out to touch her hair as he looked into her eyes._

"_Hey Lee," Seth smiled at her, leaning his forehead against hers, his lips brushing the tip of her nose._

"_I asked them to leave," Leah whispered softly as she looked at her brother, speaking to him for the first time in weeks, her brown-green eyes begging him to make them leave._

_Seth stood up and looked at Sam before he turned to Emily then looked down at his sister._

"_Emily…Sam," Seth swallowed hard before he looked up at them, "Please leave."_


	17. Chapter 16

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__ As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I promise y'all. This story is starting to roll and the chapters coming up are super exciting and filled with awesome stuff but if I don't get reviews, I will not update. The only reason I am putting this up is because I don't want to leave Leah where she's at in the previous chapter.**

**So remember...REVIEW!!!  
**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Esme Cullen carefully removed the African violet from its pot and gently placed it into the hole she had dug for it, piling in the dirt and patting it firmly around the exotic flower.

"Esme."

Looking up, she smiled as Jacob closed the door of the pearl black Lamborghini he and Annabelle shared, watching him as he walked towards her, surprised that he was alone.

"Hello Jacob," Esme sat back on her heels, pulling off her gardening gloves as Jacob sat down on the grass several feet away from her. She knew that her smell no longer bothered Jacob but habits did die hard.

"I was hoping to talk to you," Jacob ran his fingers through his shoulder length black hair, a sigh escaping him as he looked at the African violet.

"What can I help you with, Jacob?" Esme leaned back to sit on her behind, crossing her legs before her, not caring if she got grass stains on her jeans. It's not as if Alice would mind shopping to get her new ones.

"It's about Leah," Jacob reached down to pull at grass blades, one at a time, "Edward mentioned that you counseled suicide survivors and I started thinking about back when Leah tried to kill herself and I was wondering…since Carlisle was her primary physician…were you her counselor?"

"I was, yes," Esme sighed as she looked back at the violet she had just transplanted, her mind flashing back with perfect clarity to the exotic beauty that had been Leah Clearwater.

_Leah stared out the window of her hospital room, feeling curiously empty and blank. She heard the door to her room open but didn't care enough to turn her head to see who was entering her room._

"_Leah," Dr. Cullen's voice sounded far off but still distinguishable as he approached her bed. It was strange but Leah was able to hear a second set of steps, soft against the tiled floor, "I wanted to introduce you to your counselor. As I explained, due to your suicide attempt, it is required for you to see a counselor until said counselor decides you are no longer a risk to yourself."_

"_Hello Leah," the voice of the second person wound itself into Leah's conscious, painting a picture of a beautiful woman with classical looks that belonged in the past instead of today. Curious enough to see if what she pictured was real, she turned her head to look at the woman standing next to Dr. Cullen, taking in the waves of caramel hair, the heart shaped face, slightly tipped nose, bowed lips and big round eyes that, strangely enough, were the same color as Dr. Cullen's, "My name's Esme Cullen. I'm Dr. Cullen's wife and I'm going to be your counselor."_

_Leah blinked at her before turning to look out the window, flinching slightly when Mrs. Cullen reached out to touch her hand. For some reason, Leah had been feeling hotter than usual the past day or so, but other than that, and the throbbing arms, she felt fine, physically speaking, that is._

_Still staring out the window, she heard the scrape of a chair that let her know the counselor was making herself comfortable by her bedside then Dr. Cullen excused himself, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her._

_Leah waited for Esme Cullen to start talking but after ten minutes of silence, Leah turned to see if she was still there._

_She was greeted by a smile that showed genuine compassion and Leah couldn't help but respond to that, tears slowly making their way down her face. Esme reached out again, taking Leah's hot hand in her cold ones and giving it a gentle squeeze._

"_It's okay to hurt, Leah," Esme whispered softly as she leaned closer, which only caused Leah to lean back, her nose wrinkling at the sickly sweet smell that emanated from Esme, "It's okay to feel like everything's going wrong and like you can't handle what's happening anymore."_

"_But?" Leah was surprised at the raspy sound of her voice, which she hadn't used in the past two days. She pulled her hand away from Esme's, unable to take the cold feel of her skin anymore._

"_How did you know there was a but, Leah," Esme leaned back on her chair, crossing her legs, looking like the demure lady that she was._

"_I can hear it in your voice," Leah muttered as she turned to give Esme a narrowed look, wondering what Esme was playing at._

"_Can you? Or maybe you can hear it in your heart," Esme gave her another smile filled with compassion and empathy, "You know what you did was wrong. It wasn't the answer to what you've been going through."_

"_Then what is the answer," Leah turned to look out the window again, tired of talking._

"_That's something you'll have to look for yourself," Esme reached out to brush back Leah's hair, pulling her hand back when Leah flinched, "But you won't be able to find it if you kill yourself."_

"_What if that is the answer," Leah turned back to look at Esme, wondering how much longer she would be staying._

"_But how would you know," Esme pushed herself out of her chair as she dug her hand into her pants' pocket, "Once you're dead, you wouldn't know if what you did was the answer to your problems…because you wouldn't have any results to show you. I can see you're tired, Leah. I'm going to leave my card here on the table, call me anytime day or night if you want to talk, otherwise, I'll be here tomorrow same time as today."_

"Leah was in so much pain. It was so evident the moment I first saw her," Esme looked away from the violet and at Jacob's face, "But she never asked for help or for someone to listen to her. I saw her every day for the week that she was in the hospital, and once a week until the day she first phased. When she found out what I was, she stopped coming to our weekly meetings. I think she, like Sam, blamed us for what had happened with her life."

"They did…both of them," Jacob stopped pulling at the blades of grass, turning his unusual brown eyes towards her, "I was just wondering…Seth thinks Leah's heading here…to see me. Why would she do that?"

"Jacob," she reached out to touch his arm, pleased when he didn't pull away. It was a slow progress but Jacob was letting her mother him like she did the others, "Leah's seeking freedom…something she hasn't had in years. First, she spent four years as part of a couple and then she spent the next four years as part of a pack. She wants to find herself, the girl she used to be before Sam changed her whole world then turned it inside out. You're the only one that has been able to live separately from the pack…twice. I think she believes you may have some secret you can share with her, something that she can learn."

"What am I suppose to do," Jacob ran his hand through his hair again, "I mean, I don't have any epiphanies to share with her. It's not like I've discovered something special or anything like that. Most days, it's still hard, you know. Not being a part of a pack, the brotherhood that we all shared, the collective ability to think as a whole. But being with Annabelle makes it all worth it. It's slow progress but she's starting to learn how to read my mind, how to understand my moods. But what am I supposed to offer Leah? I know the moment she sees me, the moment she realizes what I have done, she's going to flip. And what scares me the most is if she runs back to the pack…because what I did…what Anna did…it will guarantee a war between the pack and us. And I don't think I can hurt any of them."

"Jacob," Esme scooted over to place an arm around his shoulders, suddenly realizing what Jacob was carrying with him, probably for the past three years of his new life with them, "I promise that we will find a way for that not to happen. We won't hurt your brothers…and I'm sure they will understand when they find out what happened and why you chose this life with Annabelle. They're your brothers, Jacob. They won't hurt you or Annabelle."

"But what about you," Jacob looked down at his jeans, his fingers plucking at the loose threads that surrounded the hole on one knee, "And Carlisle? And the others? It's not easy…admitting that, well, you've all…become family to me."

"Even me, dog," Rosalie walked around the house, followed by a grinning Emmett. Esme closed her eyes as she remembered that they had come over to do some general work on Carlisle's Mercedes, which was in a stand-free garage several yards away from the house.

"Yeah, even you, Blondie," Jacob grinned up at her before pushing himself to his feet, reaching down to help Esme to hers, "Although, if they offer to lets us go in exchange for sacrificing one of us, you'll be the one I push forward."

Emmett laughed, trying to stop as Rosalie glared over her shoulder at him, "What? You know I would never let him do that."

"Where's Anna," Rosalie gave Jacob a haughty look before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Back at the house," Jacob shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, "I think she and Alice are planning a weekend shopping spree for next week. Bella's hiding from them but it looks like Alice has foreseen her coming along."

"I see she let you drive her baby," Emmett bounded across the front yard towards the Lamborghini, his hands and feet itching with the idea of driving the car, which Annabelle had yet to let him do. Up to now, the only one that got to drive the car aside from Anna and Jacob was Edward, and that was only once a year, as per their deal.

"Of course," Jacob grinned over his shoulder at Emmett, "Did you two drive here?"

"No, we ran," Emmett turned to look at Jacob, a grin spreading across his face, "Want to give us a ride back?"

"Ugh," Rosalie wrinkled her perfect nose, "Enclosed spaces make the dog smell get stronger."

"You know he doesn't smell like dog anymore," Emmett gave Rosalie a look, trying to get her to be nice, but to no avail.

"Once a dog, always a dog," Rosalie sneered at Jacob as she shifted on her feet, "And although y'all disagree, he still smells like a dog to me."

"Then I guess you can walk back," Jacob grinned at her before he turned to Esme, giving her a quick hug, "Thanks for talking with me, Esme."

"Anytime Jacob," she hugged him back, successfully hiding her surprise at his sudden display of affection.

"Coming, Emmett," Jacob called out as he headed to the car, the door swinging upward when he pulled the handle.

"Well," Emmett turned to look at an expectant Rosalie, "Since Rosalie's walking –"

"I'll let you drive," Jacob knew that would be enough to get Emmett to come with him instead of Rosalie.

"Hell yeah!"

Emmett ran towards the car, taking the keys from Jacob as he climbed behind the car seat, running his hands in a loving manner over the wheel as Jacob walked around the car to the passenger side.

Emmett closed the door at the same time as Jacob but not before they both heard Rosalie yell out:

"Maybe you can sleep with him tonight too!"

_Leah stared up at her ceiling, her feet hanging off the bottom of her mattress. She knew her parents had replaced her bed, which seemed to be shorter than her last one, along with the carpet in her bedroom. She now had wooden floors, a soft patina brown that reminded her of Sam's skin. She hated it the moment she saw it._

_Turning to the side, she caught a glimpse of the cardboard box inside her closet where she had thrown all the left over wedding stuff, unable to throw it out. What she really wanted to do was set fire to it but she couldn't. The scraps that had been her dress were in a sack inside that box and she wasn't ready to let that go. _

_Staring sightlessly at the small calendar beside her bed, she thought back, realizing that she would have been married for a month by now, maybe even thinking about having chil –_

_Leah sat up straight, grabbing her calendar as she thought back, realizing her last period had been a couple of days before Sam had disappeared. Her last sexual encounter had been the night Sam climbed through her window after being gone for three days. Leah hadn't taken her birth control pill during those three days that she had been in the hospital…if she was doing her period math correctly, she hadn't menstruated in over four months._

_Clambering off her too short bed, she grabbed her shoes and car keys, needing to find out if her suspicions were correct. _

"_Leah, where are you going," Sue walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dishtowel._

"_To the store," Leah called over her shoulder, "I need to buy something."_

"_I want you back in twenty minutes. Have your dad call me when you get there and when you come back."_

_  
"Yes, Mom," Leah couldn't help the venom that seeped into her words. It was, after all, her own fault that her parents couldn't let her out of their sight. A month back from the hospital after her botched suicide attempt and they were both all over her like ants on a cupcake._

_Climbing into her car, she wondered what she would do if she was pregnant…would she tell Sam? Unless she left La Push, Sam would eventually find out._

_What would Sam do? Would he leave Emily and return to her? Would he want to do that?_

_Leah remembered the last time she had seen him, hours after she had gotten out of surgery. She could still hear him telling her that he loved her. Maybe, if she was pregnant, he would come to her…show her that it was true._

_But if it was true then why did he leave her in the first place?_

_Getting to the store, she ignored Emily as she walked towards the back, telling her father she was in the store and to call mother to report her comings and goings before heading to the family planning section._

_Grabbing a take home pregnancy test box, she headed to the front, handing the box and money to Emily, giving her a blank look as Emily looked at the box then up at Leah. _

_Leah knew Emily wanted to say something but the look on her face stopped her as she quickly made change, placing the pregnancy test in a small paper sack and handing her the change. _

_Taking it from her, Leah walked out of the store, climbing into her car and heading back home. Now that Emily knew she wondered how long it would take before Sam showed up at her doorstep._

Leah sighed as she leaned into the soft pillow top mattress. For the first time since she had left La Push, she was sleeping on a bed that was large and comfortable, giving her the space she had missed since her growth spurt. It felt good not to have her feet hanging off the edge of the bed and to have her muscles relax.

She closed her eyes as she wondered what Sam was doing. Probably patrolling…or maybe spending time with his wife and kids. Mother had said they looked like Sam. It made Leah's heart contract painfully as she remembered those moments when she believed she might be carrying Sam's child. She had even gone as far as picturing a little boy with Sam's dark hair, dark eyes and dark complexion.

She had made up her mind that even if Sam didn't come back to her, or wanted anything to do with the baby, she would raise him herself. She would get to have a little piece of Sam all to herself.

But she wasn't that lucky…

_It was sometime around nine in the evening when the knock on the door was heard throughout the house. Leah had been sitting on the living room couch, flipping through the channels, spending her required two hours with the family. It was ridiculous, the schedule they had decided to enforce on her, to keep her from getting depressed. As if any of it helped._

_Dropping the control, she stood up to open the door, her breath sticking in her throat as she looked into Sam's dark eyes, suddenly wishing she hadn't let Emily see the stupid test, especially because there was no reason for him to be at her doorstep._

"_Can we talk," he stared at her, his dark eyes filled with what Leah had once thought was love. But she couldn't trust it anymore, not the way she had in the past._

_Shrugging as she stepped out of the house, her feet bare, she crossed her arms across her chest, moving to the side of the little porch that framed the front of her house. _

_Sam stood where he was, turning around to look at Leah, his heart aching at the way the moonlight highlighted her sad features. He looked at her arms, flinching with internal pain at the white gauze bandages she still wore after a month out of the hospital._

"_Emily told me –"_

"_I'm not pregnant," Leah interrupted, not even bothering to look at him, her eyes on the horizon as she wondered if she really was seeing three pairs of eyes looking back at her, "If that's the reason why you came."_

"_Oh," Sam sucked in a breath, rubbing his hands against his jeans, "Yeah. That was why I came. Also, um…I thought I should let you know. Before you hear it from someone else…"_

"_What," Leah turned away from the porch railing, turning to look at Sam, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her new jeans. She had had to go shopping last week because all her jeans fit her about several inches too short, "Just spit it out, Sam."_

"_Emily and I are getting married in four months," Sam's voice was low as he kept his eyes on Leah, watching for signs of pain and anger. He knew it would hurt her but he preferred to be the one to tell her because it would be even more painful if someone else had come to her with the news._

_Leah's only reaction was sucking in her breath, her entire body tightening as she looked away from him, blinking rapidly to keep herself from crying._

"_Leah, I'm sorry," Sam took a few steps closer to her, stopping when she stepped back, "I really do love you…but I love Emily more. This…what she and I have…it's a thousand times stronger than love at first sight. I didn't ask for it, and neither did she, but it happened. And even though I tried, I couldn't fight it. I just wish…I just wish I wasn't hurting you so much."_

"_Too bad wishing doesn't make things come true," Leah spat out before she walked around him to head back to the house, suddenly turning to look into his eyes. Sam showed surprise that she was able to look at him without tilting her head up, as she had the last time they had stood this close, "And you can tell your puppets over there that they don't need to be your bodyguards…Dad's locked up anything sharp…including that damn harpoon I'd like to run through you just for the hell of it."_

_Leah walked into the house, slamming the door close before stomping up the stairs to her room, the slam of her door echoing in the house as Harry and Sue looked at each other, wondering if their sweet and caring daughter would ever resurface._

Leah stretched luxuriously, enjoying the morning for the first time in over eight years. It had been an amazing dreamless sleep and she couldn't help but feel slightly optimistic for the day ahead. She was almost close to her destination. She just hoped that the trip hadn't been for nothing.

Showering, dressing and packing up, she checked out of the B&B, a ham and cheese stuffed croissant in one hand and a large travel mug of coffee in her hand that the proprietress had forced on her.

She had spent another three days there, doing more sightseeing for the sake of photographs for her mother, but once again, she was ready to continue her trip. She felt a sudden urgency to get to her destination, feeling that the answer to what she searched for would be found at the end of the long road.


	18. Chapter 17

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__ As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Seventeen**

Leah saw the sign for Napanee, Ontario, Canada, sighing with relief that she only had five more miles to go. She really needed to go to the bathroom and the idea of stopping by the side of a road and finding a bush to pee behind did not appeal to her.

Squirming in her seat, she turned the volume up of the CD stereo she had bought while in Ames, getting it installed a few weeks before leaving. Having put in her _Poison_ CD to keep her awake, it was now serving as a needed distraction from her bladder demands. Singing at the top of her lungs along with Brett Michaels and the band, she looked around, watching the scenery flash by.

She was more than ready to get done with this road trip but she still had a long way to go. Sighing as the song finished and another began, she continued to sing along, stopping mid-lyric as she realized that, for the first time in years, she was feeling slightly normal.

She laughed out loud as she realized that she was doing something she hadn't done in years…she was enjoying herself as she was.

Maybe, just maybe, this was working…

_Leah was trying hard not to count down, but she couldn't help it. One month down, three more to go. In twelve weeks, her cousin would be marrying the man that had broken Leah's heart, the man that she still loved with everything in her. _

_Leah heaved a sigh as she closed her car door, walking up the porch steps and into the house, having just returned from the job she had at the local rez clinic as a receptionist, something her parents had insisted on to give her something to look forward to. _

_She just wished her parents would leave her alone. She had already promised her father that she would never again try to kill herself. You'd think that would be enough, but no, they were forcing her to do things that would supposedly give her a balanced life. _

_It was utter bullshit._

_Leah greeted her parents as she walked by the living room and into the kitchen, tossing her lunch bag onto the counter as she opened the fridge, pulling out a coke, popping the top as she headed towards the counter by the phone where the mail was placed. _

_Sifting through the mail, she stopped as she caught sight of a cream colored envelope with her name on the front. Someone had dropped the letter off and although she couldn't recognize the handwriting, she had a good idea who it was from._

_Ripping the envelope open, she pulled out a single sheet of cream colored stationary, her hands shaking as she read over the few sentences penned in beautiful script._

**_Dear Leah,_**

**_I know that I shouldn't be asking this, and I've told myself not to, but I couldn't seem to stop thinking of you. The wedding is three months away and although I know it's wrong of me, I wanted to remind you that you had promised to be my maid of honor. _**

**_If you decide that you can't keep that promise, I will understand. But I hope that, although I have no right to ask this of you, you will find it in your heart to share this moment with me._**

**_With all my love,_**

**_Emily_**

"_How dare she," Leah spat out, shoving the letter and envelope into the trash disposal and flipping the switch, "How fucking dare she!"_

_Gripping the edge of the sink hard, she felt her whole body trembling violently in anger just as her father and mother ran into the kitchen, having heard her angry words._

_Harry took one look at his daughter, shock written on his face as he pulled his wife to stand behind him._

"_Leah, you need to calm down," Harry called out soothingly, knowing that approaching his daughter in the state she was would lead to problems._

"_She's actually throwing that promise in my face," Leah growled, her hands convulsing around the wood and metal of the sink, "Asking me to keep it. What the fuck is she thinking?"_

"_Call Sam," Harry whispered softly into Sue's ear, wishing Seth was home to help if things got out of hand._

"_Don't you dare," Leah whipped around to glare at her father before turning to her mother, "Don't you dare call Sam. Emily wants me to be her maid of honor after what they did to me? Fine. I'll be her maid of honor but I promise you, she will regret it."_

_Pushing away from the counter she stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs, slamming the door of her bedroom close. Seconds later, they heard the shattering of what would have been her dresser mirror._

Leah came to an abrupt halt right beside the gas pump, jumping out of her car, keys in hand, locking the automatic locks as she ran across the asphalt towards the store, quickly locating the bathroom by the refrigerated section.

Minutes later, she walked out, feeling much better as she grabbed a one liter coke bottle and a bag of chips, along with some beef jerky.

Paying for her snacks and to fill up her gas tank, she walked out and headed to the public phone, knowing that her mother would give her a stern talking to for having waited four days to call.

"_Hello?"_

"Sam…uh…what are you doing there?"

"_Your mom's out with Charlie. I was hoping to talk to you so I decided to wait a while and see if you would call."_

"So, uh…you just let yourself into our house?"

"_I asked Seth…"_

"And I'm about 99.9% positive he said no, so how come you're there?"

"_I needed to talk to you. Seth seems to think you're heading to New Hampshire to see Jacob –"_

"Now, tell me Sam, what the hell would I want with Jacob Black?"

"_I don't know. That's why I wanted to ask you if it's true."_

"I really don't see any reason to tell you where I am heading…if I am heading anywhere, really. I don't have a specific destination in mind."

"_Leah –"_

"I gotta go. Make sure you leave a note for my mother on my behalf. Tell her I'm alright, I'll call again as soon as possible, and that she needs to change her locks."

"_Leah –"_

Leah hung the phone up, resting her head against the metal, wondering how the mere sound of his voice could possibly burst the bubble of normalcy she had been enjoying for the past few hours.

Now she was back to feeling miserable and bleak. She couldn't help but damn Sam Uley to the deepest pit of hell as she moved away from the phone towards her car, reaching up to wipe at the tears that rolled down her face.

How could one man have so much power over her? How could she let him?

_Leah stood before the mirror, feeling detached to what was going on around her. They were all, and by they she meant herself and the three other bridesmaids, getting fitted for the last time. Leah watched them as they talked excitedly, admiring the teak colored strapless dresses with matching elbow length gloves that made them feel sophisticated and classy._

_Leah rolled her eyes as the seamstress finished letting down the hem of her dress a couple of inches more. As impossible as it may seemed, Leah had grown another two inches, putting her seven inches above her last recorded height of five feet two inches. So now that she was five feet nine inches tall, it was decided that all the bridesmaids would wear flats, not that it mattered, since the dresses were floor length. _

_Emily walked into the fitting room, holding four wrapped boxes in one hand and a pair of gloves in the other._

"_Leah," Emily looked at her, her big brown eyes filled with apology and regret, "They found another pair that are a little larger. Hopefully these will fit you. If not, the seamstress said she can make a custom fit pair just for you."_

_Leah took the gloves from Emily without saying a word, pulling them on to find that they fit perfectly. Along with her height, the rest of her body had grown a few centimeters too. Not much to notice, but enough to make a difference. _

_Leah fisted her hands as she realized why Emily had chosen a bridesmaid dress with elbow length gloves…nothing like the scars of the groom's suicidal ex-fiancée to ruin a wedding._

_Stepping down from the stool she had been standing on, she headed straight to the dressing room, taking off the gloves and dress and pulling on her clothes. Walking out of the dressing room, she flung the dress and gloves at the seamstress, snatching the wrapped box that Emily held out to her and walked out of there but not before overhearing the other bridesmaids snicker._

"_She's sure in a pissy mood."_

"_Well, wouldn't you be if your fiancé had picked your cousin over you? I mean, talk about a serious hit to your ego."_

_Leah pulled the door of her car open, climbing in as she flung the box into the passenger seat. She knew what it was; she after all, had given a similar gift to her own bridesmaids at their last fitting. But she didn't care to open the damn thing until she absolutely had to. _

_Driving faster than usual, she arrived home in record time, not paying attention to what was going on until she closed the door behind her, the gift box clutched in her hand._

_Seth was sitting on the front porch steps, wearing sneakers, jeans and a T-shirt, which was unusual in itself. But the look on his face made Leah's heart skip a beat then gallop ahead._

"_What's going on," Leah leaned against the car, losing feeling to her legs as Seth looked up at her, his eyes bleak._

"_Dad," he muttered softly as he pushed himself to his feet, "He's in the hospital. He had a heart attack. Mom left with the ambulance. Asked me to stay and wait for you."_

_Leah sucked in a breath, her hand convulsing around the wrapped plastic jewelry box hard enough for her to hear it crack. _

_Without a word, she turned to climb back into the car, dropping the box by her feet as Seth climbed into the passenger seat, both quiet as they headed towards Forks' hospital. _

_Although Leah drove ten miles over the speed limit, it felt as if she were driving through quicksand. What seemed like an hour later, instead of fifteen minutes, she pulled into a parking spot in the visitor parking lot, following after her brother as they headed into the hospital._

"_Harry Clearwater," Seth had approached the nurse's station, asking the first nurse he laid eyes on._

_The nurse checked the monitor in front of her, typing in a few things before looking up at Seth, obvious appreciation at what she saw on her face, "He's in ICU. Elevator's down the hall, third floor."_

_Seth nodded as he grabbed Leah's hand and pulled her down the hall after him, aware that her brain was short-circuiting at what was going on._

_When the doors opened onto the third floor, they knew they were in the right place because the waiting room was within sight and packed with people they all knew. Seth headed straight towards their mother, still towing Leah behind him._

_Charlie Swan sat at one side of their mother, Billy Black at the other. Quil Ateara Sr. sat a little far off, Sam Uley sitting next to him. Leah couldn't help but wonder what the hell Sam was doing there…_

_Walking off on her own, she found a window, staring off into space before she closed her eyes. Her father had had a heart attack and could possibly be dying…but how? Why?_

Billy Black hung up the phone, feeling better after having talked to his son. He only wished he could see him again but he understood why he couldn't. Not only did Billy know about what had happened in Italy and the decision Jacob had made to be with his imprint forever, but he actually understood.

He himself had loved his wife dearly and it had been very painful when he lost her. If it hadn't been for his daughters and son, Billy would have gladly lay down and waited to die. Sighing as he moved from the kitchen to the living room, he couldn't help but feel the ache of loneliness that surrounded him.

At least Rachel would be returning soon once she finished college. She and Paul had planned on getting married within a few months after her graduation and being that Jacob was no longer in La Push, she felt that it was necessary for her to live near by and look after her father.

Billy didn't need looking after, he just needed the company. Normally, Charlie provided that but he was now busy spending time with Sue Clearwater. Billy didn't begrudge him that but without Charlie, and without Harry, Billy didn't have anyone to talk to.

Taking down a picture from the mantel, he stared at it, his eyes caressing the faces of his life-long friends.

God, how he missed Harry.

Billy placed the picture back on the mantel before moving towards a window to stare at the outside world, remembering the last time he had seen Harry alive…

"_I'm telling you, she's got all the symptoms."_

"_But its impossible Harry," Quil Sr. shook his head, his dark eyes glinting with surprise at what Harry was telling them._

"_Why," Harry shoved his hand into his graying hair, "Because she's a woman?"_

"_Yes," Billy moved his chair around, getting close enough to Harry to lay a hand on his shoulder, "The legends state clearly that the sons of Taha Aki carry this burden."_

"_We all know that I am a descendant."_

"_Yes," Billy nodded in agreement along with Quil Sr. "We know. That's why Seth is a werewolf but Leah cannot be one. She's a daughter, not a son."_

"_Then explain to me why my daughter is running a temperature hot enough for me to fry an egg on her forehead, or why she's now seven inches taller than she was five months ago, or how she happened to leave a dent the shape of her hand on our sink? I tell you, she was so angry she was starting to blur. Somehow, she calmed down enough to stop shaking but she was going to phase, right there on our kitchen, in front of me and Sue."_

"_It's not possible," Sam shook his head, his eyes hard with denial, "Leah can't be a werewolf. She just can't."_

"_Tell her that, Sam," Harry shook his head as he pushed himself out of the chair he was sitting on, "Once its set in motion, we all know it won't stop. I don't know why this is happening to my Leah but I do know that I don't want her to be in the dark about it. She has to know what's going on."_

"_No!" Sam jumped up on his feet, glaring at Harry, "You will not tell her. We didn't tell any of the others until after they phased. If Leah phases, if it can actually happen, then we'll tell her. But meantime, we can't."_

"_This isn't the same thing, Sam," Harry walked towards the door, reaching out to grab the doorframe, "She's not just one of the others. If she phases, she will be the only female werewolf in our history…she's not emotionally balanced…and I am scared that if she phases without us telling her what's going on and why…she might lose whatever little emotional stability she's barely clinging to."_

"_We can't tell her," Billy spoke up softly, "We can't risk our secret to someone who does not need to know. You insist that she's exhibiting all the symptoms, and maybe she is, but that could be all. What if she never phases? Then what? She can't be told, Harry."_

"_Damn you all," Harry muttered as he gripped the doorframe harder, his face going pale as he sucked in a breath, clutching his chest, "I will not…loose…my Leah…over this…"_

"_Harry, are you okay?" Billy moved towards Harry just as his friend collapsed at the door, his breath shallow and his face pale white. Moving quickly, he called the ambulance then dialed the Clearwater's number as Sam turned Harry onto his back, making sure he was still breathing._

"_My chest…" Harry gasped as he gripped Sam's arm._

"_I think he's having a heart attack," Sam called out as Sue picked up the phone._

"_Hello?"_

"_Sue, this is Billy Black. We just called an ambulance. We think Harry's having a heart attack."_

"_Oh God…I'll be right there."_

Leah pulled out the _Poison _CD she had been listening to, rummaging for a different one through the few she had in a case on the passenger seat. Quickly looking at the one she pulled out, she shrugged as she put it in. She had bought the _Nickelback_ CD because her brother Seth had insisted the band was great. This would be the first time she actually bothered to listen to it.

Flipping through the songs, she finally settled on one that she thought she might like. Pushing the replay button, she paid close attention to the lyrics, her eyes welling with tears as she looked out the window, wondering why her life had turned out the way it had as she sang along with the ending chorus, which seemed to speak out loud the pain in her heart…

**I love you; I've loved you all along**

**I miss you; for far away for far too long**

**I keep dreaming you'd be with me and you never know**

**Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore**

**So far away (_So far away)_**

**So far away for far too long**

**So far away (_So far away)_**

**So far away for far too long**

**But you know, you know, you know**

**I wanted; I wanted you to stay**

**'Cause I needed; I need to hear you say**

**I love you; I've loved you all along**

**And I forgive you; (_I forgive you)_**

**For being away for far too long**

**So keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore**

Taking a deep breath, she finally switched the song, wiping away the tears as she wondered if she would take Sam back…not that he would ever come to her. But what if Fate had made it possible? Would she have been able to forgive him for the pain and agony he had caused her?

She hated herself, her weakness and her vulnerability because her heart screamed out yes…no matter how hopeless the idea of Sam coming back to her, her heart seemed determined to wait until the end of time…she still loved him, despite all the hate she felt for him.

Hate that sprouted and grew when she wasn't able to hide her love from him any longer. This hate, along with the hurt, was what she threw back on his face every time they shared a mind…she couldn't help it…she was exposed to him and he was able to see _everything_ that she thought and felt.

What else could she have done?

_Leah turned as the doctor walked towards her mother and the others, staying rooted where she was by the window. She could tell, by simply looking at the doctor's face, that the news wasn't good but even with that, she felt shocked at what the doctor said._

"_Mrs. Clearwater," the doctor took her mother's hand after she stood up, Seth standing by her side with an arm around her waist, "I'm very sorry. Your husband had another heart attack soon after we admitted him…we tried everything we could…"_

"_Oh God." Leah watched as her mother folded in on herself, Seth guiding her to the chair, keeping his arms around their shaking mother. Leah knew she should go to her, offer her comfort, but she was sinking fast into her own pain and anger at what had happened._

_Looking out the window, she couldn't help but wonder why the people out there were still going on with their lives. How could the world still be turning after her father's death? _

_The others turned in surprise when Leah punched the window before turning away and walking out of the waiting room, leaving behind a cracked window, a crying mother and a stunned brother._

_Hitting the exit doors at a near run, she kept going until she reached the forest line behind the hospital, tears running down her face, her sobs causing pain on her chest. _

_She was shaking hard, from pain and sorrow and another hot emotion that she recognized as anger. How could her father be dead? _

_It just wasn't fucking fair that her life was slowly going down a shit hole._

_She heard the soft footsteps and a familiar scent in the air that let her know it was Sam followed by Seth. Normally, she would find it strange that she could smell them, but she had gotten used to her sudden heightened senses even if she didn't understand why she had them._

_She pulled away when Sam rested his hand on her shoulder, not wanting his comfort or company during this time. She didn't want him to see her like this, tears running down her face, unable to make her body stop shaking at the anger she kept bottled up inside._

_She knew that all this anger inside her concerning Sam, Emily and now her father was bound to explode but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined what happened next._

"_I'm so sorry," Sam whispered as he stared at a shaking Leah, telling himself that he was imagining the blurring edges. He still refused to believe that Leah, his Leah, would be subjected to the hell that had become his life, as well as the life of some of the others, "Anything I can do for you and your family, just name it."_

"_Get away from me Sam," Leah whispered, her words tight as she fisted her hands, wondering if she was having a heart attack herself or just going crazy as she felt a fire slowly climb up her spine, "I don't need you."_

"_Lee-lee –"_

"_I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!"_


	19. Chapter 18

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Eighteen**

"I said no Seth," Sue continued chopping the carrots she was planning on adding to the chicken soup she was making. It was starting to get cold in La Push, as well as Forks, and it looked like Charlie was coming down with a cold, so she had decided to make him homemade chicken soup and take it to him later that day.

"But mom, Leah's out there, by herself," Seth slouched in the kitchen chair, trying to figure out what to say to convince his mother to let him go after his sister.

"You think I don't know that, Seth," Sue shot him a look before she dumped the carrots into the pot on the stove, "At least with her, she calls me every so often to let me know she's alive. But you? You're going to be running around out there in four legs, looking for her…and how the hell am I suppose to know if you get your dang head shot off by some overzealous hunter?"

"It's not as if Sam wouldn't tell you," Seth muttered darkly as he slouched deeper into his seat.

"Not helping your case," Sue gave him a frown before turning back to the cutting board to cut up the celery.

"Mom, she's making herself miserable. I just know it," Seth ran his hand over his buzz cut in an agitated manner, "I can't stand not knowing where she's headed or how's she doing right now. She won't phase so it's not like I can find out that way."

"Look, let's wait another few weeks, okay," Sue dropped the celery into the pot, "You think she's heading towards Jacob Black. Jacob's talked to Billy and told him that Alice had yet to see anything –"

"Of course she can't see anything. Leah's a werewolf."

"Yes, but she hasn't seen any of her own disappear, which would happen if Leah decides to look for them."

"But Jacob's a werewolf too. She can't see him, or his imprint for that matter, so if Leah decides to go after Jacob, she still won't know."

"That's enough, Seth," Sue poured chicken stock into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon, "Jacob will call if Leah shows up. So just wait, okay? And don't think about sneaking off in the middle of the night. I will make Sam bring you back and make sure you stay."

"Fine," Seth pushed himself away from the table and stomped out of the house, walking towards the beach in a huff. He really wished his mother would change her mind and let him go, but he knew from experience that Leah came by her stubbornness honestly…besides, Leah had nothing on their mother.

Finding a log, he sat down, staring off into the ocean, watching the setting sun, which was rare during this time of the year. There was a cold chill in the air but as usual, Seth was walking around barefoot, in cut off jeans and a T-shirt.

Seth sighed as he wondered, once again, where his sister was and how she was doing. He missed her terribly.

Interestingly enough, what had separated them, his becoming a werewolf therefore a part of Sam's pack, had also served to make them closer than before.

"_Holy shit!"_

_It was a sudden and surprising sight, Leah exploding into gray fur and big paws and those sharp teeth that she had bared at Sam. _

_Seth didn't even think, he simply phased and moved to stand between his sister and his Alpha, speaking of which, Sam was still standing rooted to the asphalt, a look of shock on his face._

**Seth**: _Sam, you fucking gutless wonder! Help her!_

_Seth knew that Sam couldn't hear him, the idiot hadn't phased yet, so he turned to his sister, recognizing the look of fear and horror in her wolfish face as she realized what she had turned into._

**Leah: **_What the hell is going on?!?! Oh, God, I'm going crazy!!!_

**Seth: **_Leah, listen to me! You're not crazy. You're –_

**Leah: **_I'm a fucking monster!!!_

**Seth: **_No, Leah! Wait! _

_Seth ran into the forest after his sister when he felt a sudden shimmer in the air that let him know someone else had phased. Hoping Sam had finally got all his crap together to come help him with Leah, he felt disappointed in his Alpha when he realized it was someone else._

**Jacob: **_What's going on? Where's Sam?_

**Seth: **_Leah phased. Sam's rooted to the parking lot, like the coward that he is._

**Jacob: **_Leah phased? How is that possible?!_

**Seth: **_I don't fucking know, Jacob! All I know is my sister's running around in four legs and totally freaked out and our almighty Alpha is back there, unable to get his head out of his ass!_

**Leah: **_Oh God!!! What the hell!? How can I hear you two? What is going on?! What's happening to me?!?!_

**Seth: **_Leah, listen to me! You need to calm down! I'll explain everything._

**Jacob: **_Seth, you try to catch Leah. I'll get Jared and Paul to go get Sam. _

_Seth felt several other shimmers in the air as he watched Leah veer towards a nearby ravine. Afraid that she might not know the danger up ahead, he doubled his speed._

**Paul: **_Hey, Seth. Did you hear? Bloodsuckers are back in town –whoa! What the hell is going on?!_

**Leah: **_Who the fuck is that? Why am I hearing these voices?!? Oh God, this is so not normal!!! I've gone and done it! I'm fucking losing my mind!_

**Embry: **_Leah phased?_

**Jacob: **_Apparently. Jared, Paul, head to the hospital and try to get Sam to snap out of it._

**Quil: **_Girl werewolf…cool._

**Embry: **_What's wrong with Sam?_

**Seth: **_He's got no balls, that's what's wrong with him!_

**Jacob: **_Apparently he didn't handle Leah's phasing all that well._

**Leah: **_Get out of my fucking head!!! Leave me alone!!!! Oh God, please help! Tell me this is just a fucking nightmare!_

_Seth finally caught up to his sister, tackling her to the ground several feet away from the edge of the ravine, holding her down with his weight, his paws over her head to keep her from snapping at him._

**Seth: **_Leah. Leah, I'm right here. I'm here with you. You're not alone. _

**Leah: **_Oh God, Seth! What the hell is this? Why are you like this? Why am I?_

**Seth: **_I don't know why you phased Lee. Girls aren't supposed to phase. But I phased because the tribe needs protectors. Same thing with all the other guys that follow Sam around._

**Leah: **_You mean you're not a cult?_

**Seth: **_Close enough. We're a pack. A pack of werewolves. We protect our people from the cold ones._

**Leah: **_Tribe legends, Seth? That's what you're using as an explanation to what's going on with me? Why can I hear the others? Why are all your voices in my head?_

**Seth: **_Because we're connected, Leah. All our thoughts, our feelings, everything that goes through our mind become available to the rest. We no longer have a mind of our own…it helps us organize and strategize when we're hunting bloodsuckers, but other than that, it's a pain in the ass that we have to put up with._

**Leah: **_Why do you follow Sam around?_

**Seth: **_He's our Alpha. He was the first one to phase, without anyone to help him through it. _

**Leah: **_When he disappeared? Is that what happened? What he wouldn't tell me?_

**Seth: **_Yes. He phased for the first time that night that you two were supposed to go to the prom. He had his windows rolled down, was driving down the road towards your house to pick you up when he smelled them…the Cullen's were returning from a hunting trip…and the wind carried their scent down towards Sam. That's all it took. Sam had no idea what was going on or how to make it stop. It took three days for him to calm down enough to phase back._

**Leah: **_The Cullen's?_

**Seth: **_They're vampires. They don't hunt people but animals, which is why we don't hurt them. They are the ones that our grandfathers made the treaty with. _

**Leah: **_Oh God! Sam's going to know! He's going to read everything in my head and know! Is he listening now, Seth? Is he?!?_

**Seth: **_No Leah. It's just you and me. You would know otherwise. _

_It took Seth three days to calm his sister down enough to get her to phase back, although he wished he had thought of asking one of his brothers to bring a blanket before. But Leah had been so exhausted that she had promptly fallen asleep soon after phasing. _

_Seth sat by her, his back to her nude form, still in wolf form playing sentry. In the late evening of the third day, while Leah still slept, Sam stepped through the trees in human form, a pair of shorts and a blanket in his hand. _

_Seth growled at him as he quickly phased, grabbing the shorts and yanking them on before grabbing the blanket and wrapping it around his sister, lifting her up into his arms and heading down the path he and Leah had made from their mad dash through the forest._

"_Some Alpha you turned out to be," Seth growled at Sam, his eyes narrowed in anger as he continued walking, Sam behind him, "You were supposed to help her through that. That's what you've done with the rest of us. Instead, you have some mental meltdown, almost get yourself killed by her and once again, fail her when she needed you most."_

"_I know Seth," Sam sighed as he looked over Seth's shoulder, his eyes moving over her sleeping features, "You don't have to tell me that when I'm already beating myself up over it. I just didn't want to believe it…I just don't think its right, Leah having to go through this."_

"_Are you going to make her become part of the pack," Seth turned his head to look over his shoulder at Sam, wondering if maybe, his sister could be spared from having to share a mind with Sam of all people. _

_They had all gotten used to Sam's thoughts and feelings concerning Emily but Seth didn't think Leah would handle it that well…even when she finally got the explanation Sam had never given her._

"_There's a reason why she phased," Sam ran his hand over his short hair, "Obviously, we need more werewolves and she's the only one around the right age…other than you, the other boys are still too young. I mean, even you were too young when you phased. But…the large number of Cullens seems to be increasing ours too. We also have that redheaded leech that keeps playing around with us…I think we need her, Seth. I think that's why she's phased."_

"_Paul said the bloodsuckers are back," Seth looked down at his sleeping sister, wishing she didn't have to deal with all this crap, "What's that about?"_

"_The day Harry died…Jacob took Bella back to her house when he smelled a vampire. It was one of the Cullen's…the psychic. She and Bella took off to Italy after another vampire…the one she's in love with. They just got back early this morning…but not just those three. It looks like all the Cullen's have moved back into Forks."_

_Seth closed his eyes briefly, wanting to have the power to change things just as he broke through the forest line, heading across the hospital parking lot towards his sister's car, tucking her into the passenger seat before walking around to the driver's seat, "You have the keys?"_

"_Yeah," Sam dug them out of his pants' pocket and handed them to him, "I told your mom about what happened so she already knows. She's home waiting for you both. Tell Leah I'll come by later to talk to her about this…I have to think, figure out if we need to have her join the pack."_

_Seth nodded as he turned on the car, peeling out of the parking lot and heading down the road towards the reservation, occasionally glancing at his sleeping sister. It seemed that Fate had decided to hand Leah Clearwater another pile of dung._

Leah wondered why, all of a sudden, she couldn't stop thinking about Seth. She knew that he was probably worrying himself sick over her. If only there was a way for her to let him know that she was okay…well, she was as good as she could possibly be.

Pulling into a gas station, she decided to send him a postcard…that sounded like something that would let someone know the road trip was fun and enjoyable, right? A postcard…it almost sounded normal.

Paying for her gas and the postcard along with a stamp, she walked out, wondering what to write to her brother. Something light and happy, to let him know that she was doing fine. But she had to be careful because he would know she was lying. He knew her too well…something that came along with sharing a mind for over four years.

Grabbing a pen from the glove compartment, she leaned over the hood as the gas jockey filled up her gas tank –oh, how she enjoyed full-service stations.

**Dear Seth,**

**Just thought I'd send you a postcard from Canada. I just got out of Napanee and will soon be arriving Brockville where I will be spending the night.**

**It's been an interesting trip, to say the least. Not much excitement, other than what happened in Ames and the dog that I almost ran over. As you more than likely know, it's just me, the music and my thoughts.**

**You know, maybe someday, you and I will have to do a trip together. Every once in a while, I wish you were here. You would know how to keep me distracted and would make me laugh, if not, you would make me mad enough not to feel sad.**

**I occasionally feel normal and like the person I used to be but it's rare…at least it happens more often than it did when I was in the rez.**

**I love you and mom (tell her I said hello)**

**Lee**

Leah sighed as she handed the gas jockey a tip, before jogging over to the post box at the corner of the gas station, quickly sticking the stamp on the postcard, double checking the address before dropping it in.

Getting into her car, she turned it on and pulled out of the station, looking forward to finding a place to crash and sleep. Possibly get a decent meal from some small town diner…which she'd come to learn had the best food anyway.

_Leah was still in shock over what had happened, even a week after it had happened. She had missed her father's funeral because she had been running around the forest in four legs, totally freaking out. Not only that, but she had made her brother miss the funeral too. _

_Her mother had to deal with all of it alone, on top of knowing that her daughter was now a part of the pack that put their lives in danger for the sake of protecting others._

_Leah sighed as she continued to flip through the channels, her eyes turning to the clock every ten seconds. Sam had called, told her he would come over later that evening after patrols, whatever the hell that was, to discuss her situation and what that meant for the pack._

_Leah couldn't help but pray that Sam would let her get out of joining the pack. She didn't want to share her thoughts with Sam, not to mention all the others, and she didn't want to hear Sam's thoughts. She just fervently hoped that the love he used to have for her would help him understand that this was something Leah did not need at the moment._

_The knock on the door made her jump with surprised. She switched the television off before throwing the remote on to the couch, heading towards the door, her hands clammy and her stomach in knots. _

_She opened the door and stepped aside, letting Sam enter her house for the first time in over six months. She couldn't help the sting of tears as she recalled the many times he had simply walked in without having to knock, turning her face away to quickly wipe them off before closing the door and following after Sam. _

"_Leah, I'm sorry," Sam ran his hand over his short hair before sitting down on the chair Leah pointed out, watching her take a seat on the edge of the couch, "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you phased. Although your father warned us, I just couldn't believe –"_

"_My father knew?"_

"_Yes, he did. He told us about the symptoms but we didn't believe it could happen because –"_

"_Symptoms?"_

"_Your temperature. Your sudden growth spurt. The strength and heightened senses. That's how we all started. It's why I was able to know who would be phasing next. But you weren't supposed to phase –"_

"_Why not? I mean, it's not like I wanted in on the big secret but why was my phasing a big enough shock for you to flake out on your duties as Alpha?"_

"_You're a girl, Leah."_

"_That's been pointed out to me many times, yes, but what does it have anything to do with my being a werewolf?"_

"_According to the legends, only the sons of Taha Aki have the responsibility to protect the tribe…you're a daughter."_

"_We both know legends are part true and part myth…obviously, what happened to me a week ago should have proven to you that the idea that only the sons have a responsibility to the tribe is bullshit."_

"_Obviously," Sam couldn't help but smile, realizing how much he had missed talking to Leah. She had always been good for a stimulating conversation, "But the bottom line is that you are, to date, the only female werewolf we've ever had."_

"_I'm an abnormality," Leah grimaced as she stood up, running her fingers through her elbow length hair, "That's just great."_

"_Leah, Seth explained everything to you, right?"_

"_Yeah," Leah walked towards the living room window, looking out as she thought back to the things her brother had said, "We exist because vampires exist. We share one mind which means there are no such things as private thoughts. We're frozen in time so we don't age until we stop phasing. Which explains why I haven't had a period in over six months…He also mentioned…imprinting."_

"_Yes," Sam looked down at his hands, his fingers fisting at the sound of incredulity in her voice, "It's completely involuntary…stronger than love at first sight…it's absolutely undeniable."_

"_So that's what happened," Leah turned around to look at Sam, crossing her arms across her chest, "You imprinted on Emily?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Why couldn't you imprint on me, Sam? We were already in love, about to get married –"_

"_It's not something you choose Leah," Sam looked into her brown-green eyes, wishing he hadn't been the one to put those sad shadows that were so evident to any that looked into them, "Just like this werewolf thing. The Cullen's being in Forks is what triggered it all. Once something's set in motion, it can't stop. If it weren't for them, we'd be married –"_

"_Blame the vampires," Leah muttered snidely before turning away from him to look out the window again, "So what now? Where does this leave me, the only girl wolf in Quilette history?"_

"_Leah…I wouldn't ask this of you if we didn't need more people. There are only seven of us in the pack and we are outnumbered by the Cullens. Mind you, they're supposed to not be a threat but we can't just assume that. We must be prepared and ready at all times."_

"_Please Sam" Leah closed her eyes as she leaned against the window, the glass cool against her hot skin, "Please don't make me do this. I can't –bare the thought of being so exposed to you or the others. Please give me this one thing."_

"_Leah, I wish I could, I really do –"_

"_Yeah, but we both know that wishing isn't the same as doing," Leah pushed herself away from the window and turned to look at Sam, her brown-eyes filled with anger and the beginnings of hate, "Before this is over, Sam, you'll be wishing you had let me get out of this. Because I promise you, you're going to regret making me a part of this stupid pack of yours."_

_Leah stomped up the stairs to her room, slamming the door close behind her but not before hearing Sam mutter "Believe me, I already regret it."_


	20. Chapter 19

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Nineteen**

Leah bit into an apple as she walked towards the front door of the B&B in Brockville, her duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She found the B&Bs homier than the roadside motels, although they were more expensive, but she realized that it was worth it. She was starting to get a serious case of homesickness.

She couldn't help but wonder if she was planning on never returning to La Push. When she had left, she had left to find an answer to the possibility of living apart from the pack, apart from Sam. But she hadn't realized that part of the answer might be not living in La Push.

She knew herself well enough to know that never returning to La Push was impossible. She loved her place of birth, the heritage that came along with it.

She missed the ocean waves crashing onto First Beach, the pretty rocks that little Claire Young liked to make Quil Ateara Jr. pick for her. She missed the store that was now managed by her mother with the occasional help from Seth and herself. She missed the small garage that Quil and Embry had put up in La Push, making it possible to get quality mechanical work done on your car without the serious gouging of your wallet that happened at Dowling's.

She wanted to go back to La Push, to grow old there…even if it was by herself because she couldn't see herself falling in love with anyone else or getting married…but maybe she could find a way of having her own children…it shouldn't be hard, being a single mom…especially with her mother and the pack's help.

So the secret she needed to find was not how to live apart from the pack, because she had come to realize she was so intricately woven into the pack it was impossible to pull out without unraveling it all, but the secret was how to leave Sam behind…not in La Push, because incidentally, she brought him with her for the trip. But maybe leave him somewhere between here and Montreal…or somewhere after Montreal…but she definitely did not want to bring him back with her when she returned to La Push.

She promised herself one thing…she would return to La Push and she would return free.

"_I can't believe you're not coming with us, Lee," Sadie closed the trunk of her black Mitsubishi before turning to her friend, still feeling shocked at the sudden change of Leah Clearwater._

_Not only was she quieter and moodier than she used to be, but she was now more guarded, more defensive. And that were just the changes in her personality._

_Physically, Leah Clearwater no longer looked like the exotic beauty she had once been. She was five feet nine inches tall now, with long legs and a slightly more muscular body. Her brown-green eyes were dull and expressionless, which was better to the one other expression she seemed to be capable of expressing, which was anger. Her beautiful sable brown hair that had hung straight down to her elbows had been cut into a page-boy hairstyle that was an inch or so above her chin. _

_Sadie had to admit to herself that if Leah weren't so angry or sad all the time, she would still be beautiful…in fact, she seemed to have the look that most supermodels killed themselves for…unfortunately, with her angry face, she was not approachable, which was what had made Leah Clearwater such a beautiful girl and friend._

"_Yeah, I know. We promised to all go to college together, remember," Meredith leaned against her white Mazda, her arms crossed over her chest as she thought the same things Sadie did. To them two, the Leah before them was a completely different person that they no longer knew._

"_I'm sorry. I just don't want to leave mother alone now that dad's gone," Leah's voice was flat as she looked from one girl to another before turning her gaze to the horizon, "You two have fun in college."_

"_We'll write to you," Sadie offered as she stepped away from her car and quickly hugged Leah, stepping away so that Meredith could take her turn._

"_Sure," Leah hugged Meredith before stepping back, "You two drive safe. I have to go back to the clinic, my lunch break is about over."_

_Leah turned around and walked away without looking back, wondering what else could be taken away from her. She had planned on going to the community college in Port Angeles along with Sam but after the break up, and the suicide attempt, she had actually thought about heading to some big university away from Sam, although she would have had to wait a year since the deadlines had come and passed, but now, that wasn't even an option. _

_She had to stay and help protect the tribe…along with Jacob's Bella. As if she didn't have a coven of bloodsuckers looking after her already, they had to play guard dog for the vampire girl._

_Growling deep in her throat, she yanked open the clinic door, not paying attention to the fact that she had left a dent on the metal door handle or yanked one of the hinges off the doorframe. Instead, she was too immersed on the fact that they were having a bonfire later that night…a bonfire Jacob had every intention of bringing Bella Swan to. _

_God, how she hated being a part of all this. She wished she didn't know about vampires or werewolves. About legends being only halfway true. She couldn't understand how Bella, who had a choice to ignore all this and pretend it didn't exist, seemed to be fine with being a part of this fantastical world. She found nothing weird about having a vampire boyfriend or a werewolf best friend who, incidentally, was head over heels in love with her. She was the only normal human being among a group of freaks and instead of finding others like herself, she was content to being among said freaks._

_Leah just couldn't understand why. _

_It was a long day at the clinic but eventually, Leah was heading home, looking at the watch on her wrist that she wore for work purposes. She had enough time to get home, phase and do her patrols before she had to show up for the fucking bonfire. _

_How she hated her life._

_It was a long night where she had to sit there, stare into the fire, pretend that she couldn't see Emily and Sam, hating the fact that Quil Sr. and Billy Black had decided to keep the legends as they were, having already been told that she was the pack's secret._

_More like a shameful fact that they were trying to hide…the girly wolf…the freak…the genetic dead end._

_God, how it hurt knowing, finally understanding, that Sam had imprinted on Emily because she was the best choice for him. That was what imprinting was about…carrying on the best genes._

_But she wasn't going to be so damn lucky. No, because she phased, she was stuck in time and she would never know what being a mother was all about._

_Not that she was interested…the only person she had imagined having children with was about to marry another in three weeks. _

_She closed her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek, feeling eyes on her. She wondered if Sam was staring at her, feeling guilty for the obvious pain she was in. It would be impressive if he did because she had been making his life, along with all the others, miserable the past two months. _

_She was a bitch after all…figuratively and literally…she supposed acting like it shouldn't have surprised any of them…but it had…especially Sam. _

_Leah guessed he didn't know she was capable of that much venom, that much hate…especially towards him. What a joke. He was, after all, the reason why Leah was now overruled by her inner bitch._

_Opening her eyes, she caught Bella staring at her before she blushed and looked away. Leah couldn't help but wonder what she had been thinking. Was she feeling sorry for her? Or was she wondering what Leah was missing that the scarred Emily so obviously had?_

_Leah sucked her breath in as Billy turned towards the rest of them, joined by Sam and her mother. It was time for the legends to be told…_

Emily walked into the living room to find Sam on the floor, alternating between tickling Bailey and Bradley, getting giggles from both of them.

She couldn't help but smile as she leaned against the wall to enjoy the sight before her, her arms crossing over her chest.

Sam was happy, truly happy, for the first time in years. Even after he had fallen in love with her, aside from the love that he had for her that came with imprinting, Sam still carried around guilt over what he had done to Leah with him, he still carried around the love he had had for her.

But having Leah leave in search for freedom from Sam had, inadvertently, freed Sam himself. And she knew that was the reason why he didn't find it necessary to send someone after Leah.

"What are you thinking, Em?"

Emily focused back to the living room, smiling at the grinning Sam, wondering how he could look so damn sexy when holding two three month old babies in his arms.

"The truth," she asked, her doe brown eyes raking over him and the babies, "I was thinking about Leah. How, without her realizing it, she did you a favor by leaving. I wonder if she would have left had she known how good it would be for you."

"That depends, I suppose," Sam pushed himself to his feet, keeping a firm grip on both of his wiggling babies, "Whether her need to make me miserable was greater than her need to find some peace. I've been thinking about that too, you know. About how much harder things would have been for her right now if she hadn't left. I mean, for her to realize that I don't love her anymore…that I'm sorry for what I had to put her through but that I don't feel guilty or regret for it anymore. Last time she phased, she was too preoccupied with the jerk that almost raped her that all she noticed was how happy I was about these two. But other than that, she didn't stick around long enough to pick up on everything else."

"How is she going to feel," Emily looked down at her hands then back up at her husband, staring into those dark eyes that she loved beyond distraction, "When she realizes that she no longer has a part of you? I think that's why she stuck around so long, to lay claim to that little bit of you that still belonged to her. And maybe that's why she left, because subconsciously, knowing you were going to become a father, she knew there would no longer be room in your heart for her."

"This is going to sound cruel Emily, I know," Sam handed over his daughter to Emily before cuddling his son closer to his chest, "But I don't care anymore. Not enough to make myself miserable over it. I mean, I care about her because she's a part of my pack and therefore, my responsibility, but her emotional needs are no longer my concern. She's a strong girl and I'm sure she'll be able to deal with whatever comes her way. If she's not able to let go of what we used to have, there's nothing I can do."

"Don't you miss her at all, Sam," Emily turned away to walk towards the kitchen, cuddling little Bailey to her, "Because I miss her like crazy. That's what hurts me the most…losing her friendship."

"Of course I miss her," Sam moved to stand behind his wife, wrapping an arm around her and his daughter, "But I miss her the same way you do Em…as a friend. I've come to realize that Leah was a great friend to me…but I never saw that because of the emotions that came with a relationship. I would be happy if I got her as a friend again, but I'm not going to make myself sick over whether she forgives me enough for that to happen. It's her choice as to how she wants to live her life, Emily, not ours. We made our choices and we're happy. Don't make yourself miserable over something you can't change."

Emily smiled up at her husband, kissing his lips before dropping a kiss on Bradley's small head. Sam was right…they had their own lives to live…they couldn't let that revolve around how Leah chose to live hers.

_The wedding was four days away and Leah had yet to figure out what to say in her required maid of honor speech. She couldn't believe that Emily was actually expecting her to stand before everyone and wish her a long and happy life with Sam. _

_If only she could figure out what to say. Maybe something along the lines of "Emily, you found a great man to marry. I should know…he was going to marry me first after all. Congratulations."_

_Nah, that was too nice. Maybe something a little more hurtful like "Did you honestly expect me to stand up here and wish you a blissful wedded life with the man that was supposed to have married me six months ago? You got to be kidding me! Not only am I the jilted ex-fiancé, but I am way pass drunk, so I'll tell you what I really feel. I hope you two make each other miserable. I hope that every time you look at each other, you see the horrible people that you are. Not just because you, Sam, took back all the promises you made to me and tore my world apart but because you, Emily, my cousin, my best friend, the person I trusted with everything…you took him for yourself as soon as you had a chance. That just goes to show that no one, not even family, is worth trusting with what you care about most. Here's to the bride and groom…may your lives suck."_

**Sam:**_ No._

**Leah:**_ What the fuck are you doing here? I thought I told you I didn't feel like doing patrols with you today._

**Sam: **_Paul and Jared caught a fresh trail up by the boundary line. You were obviously too busy planning your maid of honor speech you didn't hear them call the rest of us. _

**Leah:**_ Wonderful. Happy vampire hunting. _

**Sam:**_ You're coming with. By the way, you are not allowed to make that speech or anything like it for the wedding._

**Leah: **_Is that an order, o fearless leader?_

**Sam: **_Yes, if it has to be. I refuse to let you ruin Emily's wedding with your anger and bitterness. You can sling as much of that bitchy attitude my way, but I will not let you do that to Emily._

**Leah: **_Oh, of course not, because what would poor Emily do? She just might feel bad and that would in turn bring you down, right?_

**Sam: **_I'm serious Leah. Don't make me force you to behave because I will._

**Leah: **_Then, tell me Sam, what the fuck am I suppose to say? Because I got nothing that would fall along the lines of not ruining your Emily's wedding. So if you are ordering me to play nice at your wedding, then you might as well write my speech yourself._

**Sam:**_ How about something along the lines of "Sam and Emily…may you two be happy for the rest of your lives. Congratulations."_

**Leah: **_Really? That's the best you can come up with? Boy, I sure am not looking forward to hearing your vows. "Emily, when I first saw you, my life completely changed. Everything that I used to believe in no longer mattered and you alone became my reason for being –"_

**Sam: **_Knock it off, Leah. We're getting close to the others. Pay attention to what you're doing, you hear?_

**Leah: **_Whatever._

Leah sighed as she walked out of the B&B in Brockville, deciding to do some sightseeing, take some pictures for her mother. This was actually a cute place and maybe she would find something interesting to buy for her mother and for Seth.

After an hour of window shopping, she finally walked into an antique's store, looking around in fascination at all the old French style furniture. She smiled at the proprietress as she moved around the store, rummaging through knickknacks, candlestick holders, some books…

Stopping to stare at a beautiful wooden cradle, she moved closer to look at what was inside. She smiled softly as she picked up a small porcelain doll, straightening the Victorian style dress she was wearing, her fingers brushing the soft little leather boots on the doll's feet. She was absolutely adorable. Tucking her into the crook of her elbow, she looked around some more until she found a small wooden train, the paint faded to beautiful pastels, the wood smooth to her touch. Picking it up, she noticed how the train was small enough to fit in one hand.

She moved to the front counter, not believing she was doing this but unable to stop herself either. Paying for both of them, she watched as the lady wrapped each item snugly in brown paper, tying them with twine. Leah couldn't help but smile as she took the packages along with her credit card and receipt, walking out of the store and heading towards the post office at the corner of Main Street.

She was feeling especially altruistic at what she was about to do. Standing in line, she looked down at the wrapped gifts, wondering how they would react when they opened them. It would be a shock, that was for sure…but maybe a nice kind of shock…the kind that reminded them that there was still a bit of the true Leah inside the bitch that she had become.

_Leah stood at the altar, holding her bouquet of flowers, the look on her face letting everyone know that she didn't want to be there. _

_She had given up on letting everyone think she was alright and dealing with everything, especially when a good number of the guests, mainly the pack along with her family, knew it wasn't true._

_She watched Sam as he watched Emily walking up the aisle, arm in arm with her father, Leah's mother's brother. Leah closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry…not here, not in front of everyone. She was okay with them seeing her angry and bitter but not vulnerable…not hurting. _

_She did not allow any of them to see the depth of the pain she carried around with her, the shattered pieces of her heart, the shredded mess of her dignity and the crushed pieces of her soul. That was the reason why she was the twenty-four hours, seven days a week bitch…her only defense against the fact that she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself anymore. _

_As long as she was angry, as long as she was bitter, as long as she was a bitch to them all, she wasn't exposed as the vulnerable mess she truly was._

_Opening her eyes, she glared off into space, robotically doing her duty when Emily handed her the bridal bouquet and took the silver ring that Leah had been holding inside her fist, doing her best not to crush it into a little knot. _

_She had already done her one thing to ruin the ceremony, "forgetting" her gloves. The rest of the bridesmaids went ahead and removed theirs so they could all look the same, but that wasn't the purpose of the gloves after all. _

_Leah felt satisfied when Emily looked down at the scars on her arms before taking the ring. That should do for the ceremony, a reminder of what Emily had pushed Leah into by taking Sam for her own._

_Now on to the damn reception…_

_The ceremony had been painfully long, especially when it came to the vows. Leah had looked off into space and hummed to herself to block out what Sam had said but it was to no avail. She still heard him proclaim his love and undying devotion to Emily Young. _

_She felt hate for Sam run hot through her body and she had to take several calming breaths before she busted out of this ridiculous dress and into her wolf form. Oh, how she would love to tear him to pieces…_

_Leah joined the rest of the wedding party at the bridal table, sitting next to Emily's chair, refusing to look at either the bride or the groom. She watched as people milled around, talking and mingling, Sam and Emily doing the host and hostess thing. _

_Taking the champagne glass, she drained it just as a waiter walked by, handing him the glass to fill it up again, "Make sure you come over this way at least every five minutes."_

"_Yes ma'am," the waiter nodded as he filled her glass, thinking to himself that she was a beautiful girl despite the evident anger on her face. The teak color of her dress brought out a beautiful shimmer to her cinnamon colored skin. The flowers on her hair, which was styled to the side due to the page-boy haircut, made her look exotic. _

_He walked off to tend to other guests, wondering why such a beautiful girl would be so angry._

_Leah couldn't help but grimace in pain every time she saw Sam touch Emily. It was physically painful for her to be here but they had insisted. _

_Closing her eyes, she drained her sixth glass, looking around for the waiter just as he approached and filled it up again. She smiled at him before looking away just as the band announced the serving of dinner._

_It was a long and painful ordeal, having to sit there and play with her food, but she managed it, mostly because she kept throwing back glass after glass of champagne. The waiter was definitely going to deserve a tip by the end of the night._

_Sam's best man stood up, giving his speech, something along the lines of true love and long happiness. Leah scoffed quietly as he droned on and on about how right Sam and Emily looked together. How they had prevailed despite obstacles…on and on with the bullshit._

_Then it was her turn. Picking up her recently filled glass of champagne, she stood up, gripping the table when the whole room moved on her…she was definitely drunk._

_She raised her glass to the guests then turned towards the newlyweds, her voice flat and emotionless._

"_Sam and Emily…may you two be happy for the rest of your lives. Congratulations."_

_She threw back the glass of champagne, swallowing as she pushed back her chair, walking away from the bridal table and out the reception room. She had done her duty as maid of honor. She no longer had any need to be there._

_The cold air hit her full force but she didn't feel cold…just much more intoxicated. She couldn't help but wonder how many glasses of champagne she had drunk…oh she'd lost count after the ninth or tenth one._

_Taking a deep breath, she tried to remember where she had parked her car…she knew the alcohol would eventually burn itself out and besides, if she crashed, she would just heal within hours if not days. _

"_Leaving already?"_

_She turned around to see the waiter that had kept her champagne glass full, leaning against the wall, taking a cigarette break._

"_I was planning on it," Leah looked away from him and towards the parking lot, wondering what else she could do to ruin this day for Sam…she had already accomplished that for Emily, "Do you have a car?"_

"_Yes," the waiter flicked the cigarette to the ground, crushing it under his toe, "It's the red one over by the lamppost."_

"_With a backseat?" Leah turned to look at him, seeing the obvious interest on his face. This was going to be too damn easy…it looked like she wouldn't even have to try her hand at flirting._

"_Yes," the waiter pushed himself away from the wall, pulling his car keys out of his pant's pocket, "Why do you ask?"_

_Tired of the coyness, she grabbed him by the lapel of his jacket, pushing him towards his car, "Because I want you to fuck me. Why else would I ask?"_

_The waiter felt himself get hard at her words. It wasn't everyday that a smoking hot girl like the maid of honor would just outright tell him she wanted to have sex with him. Unlocking the back passenger door, he held it open for her, watching the fabric move over her curves as she climbed in, her long arm reaching out to grab his jacket and pull him in after her._

_He didn't even bother closing the door, it's not like anyone would come out since the party was inside. Moving over her, he tried kissing her mouth but she moved her head to the side, so he kissed her throat instead, his hands moving over her hips, up her waist and ending at her breasts._

_Leah couldn't help but growl in frustration. She knew she was drunk and she knew she would regret this as soon as it was over, but she also knew that it would hurt Sam when she revealed this to him and that's what kept her going along._

_Grabbing his hair, she pulled his head back and away from her neck, "Stop with the foreplay and just get right to it."_

_His laugh grated her nerves as he moved his hands down her legs, shoving the long skirt up towards her waist, his fingers tugging at her underwear._

_Because Leah was staring out the open door, she knew what happened next, but the waiter wasn't as lucky. _

_Grabbing the back of the waiter's jacket, Sam yanked him off Leah and out of the car, tossing him like a rag doll to the floor, not caring as his head hit the asphalt, the poor guy blacking out before he knew what was going on._

"_What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Both Sam and Leah yelled simultaneously as Leah climbed out of the car, tugging the skirt of her dress back in place._

"_Me? Saving you from making the biggest mistake of your life," Sam growled as he stared down at Leah. Although she had grown quite a bit tall, so had he and he now easily towered over her at six feet four inches, "Now tell me, what the hell were you doing?"_

"_It's none of your fucking business, Sam, what I do or who I do," Leah sneered at him, her body shaking in anger, indignation and shame, which she refused to acknowledge._

"_So what, Leah," Sam gave the passed out waiter a dark look before looking back at her, "You're going to become the town whore just to get back at me?"_

_Leah sucked her breath in before she narrowed her eyes, taking a step closer to him as she hissed, "If that's what makes you bleed along with me, then yes."_

_Sam stood there, watching Leah walk away just as the waiter started gaining conscience. Keeping himself from reaching out and chocking the guy to death, he turned to slam the door to the guy's car shut, feeling somewhat satisfied when the window shattered._

"_What –what happened," the waiter touched the back of his head, wincing at the pain._

"_You were taking a piss and you passed out," Sam growled as he moved away and towards the reception hall, "You hit the window of that car with the back of your head so you might want to get that checked."_

"_Oh."_

_Sam couldn't help the chuckle that rose inside his chest at the look of total confusion on the waiter's face –he looked like a pasty white monkey. He couldn't understand how Leah could let him touch her the way he had._

_Walking into the reception hall, he went straight to Emily, pissed at the fact that Leah had succeeded in ruining this day for her, not to mention for him too. But he would find a way to make it up to her. He had to because his very life depended on her happiness._

Sam released a sigh as he caught sight of his house, the porch lights on. He had done late night patrols along with Embry, Quil and Paul. It had been easy, really, since there were no more vampires in Forks, or human girls that attracted vampires.

Instead, they had spent most of the night running around in circles, trying to get Paul to concentrate. His Rachel was finishing school soon and returning to La Push and Paul was looking forward to seeing his imprint every day. He had done the weekend trips up to Seattle to see her but now he would be able to see her every day and he was delirious happy about that.

Sam couldn't help but shake his head, knowing that if Jacob were here, he would have hamstringed Paul for the thoughts that he was having over his sister. Unfortunately for Sam and Embry, Paul had a graphic memory…very much like Jacob's. There must be a reason why they would soon become related through marriage.

Rubbing his hands over his face as he walked up the porch steps, which he had built himself a year after he and Emily had gotten married, he opened the door to find Emily sitting on the table with breakfast laid out, a box sitting on the counter.

"What's that," he nodded towards the box as he grabbed a plate and loaded up enough food for three people…his wife was an amazing cook and he did tend to eat like an animal since he ran around as one most of the time.

"It's addressed to Bailey and Bradley," Emily's eyes were bright with curiosity and what Sam immediately recognized as a bit of fear, "It came from Canada."

Sam swallowed the mouthful of eggs as he put down his plate, taking the box before he sat down next to Emily, "Leah."

"That's what I was thinking," Emily was clutching her hands, wondering if her cousin's hate for them would actually extend to two babies that had no fault in what had happened, "Should we open it?"

"I don't see why not," Sam grabbed a butter knife and sliced open the packaging tape, "It's not like she would send two babies a bomb."

"She wouldn't," Emily looked up at her husband with serious eyes, "Right?"

"Emily, Leah's a bitch, but she's not evil," Sam kissed Emily to reassure her before he opened the box, which was filled with packaging peanuts, "She wouldn't do anything to hurt a baby, although us, that's a whole different story."

"Okay then," Emily stood up, plunging her hands into the box and pulling out a parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine, a little note that simply said _Bailey_ tucked under the string. Putting it on the table, she reached in and grabbed the other one, which was wrapped the same way with a note tucked under the twine that said _Bradley_.

Emily noticed a folded sheet of paper taped to the inside of the box. Placing Bradley's gift on the table, she ripped off the note and opened it, Sam looking over her shoulder as they both read the single word on it.

**_Congratulations._**

Emily and Sam stared at each other before they each took a gift, pulling the twine and removing the brown paper.

Sam froze as the paper revealed a small porcelain doll with dark brown curls, big brown eyes, a button nose, and a rosebud mouth. He tugged at the skirt of the little dress, realizing by feel alone that the doll was an antique. The dress was some late era style and he lifted the skirt to discover the little doll had cotton bloomers and stockings, with little black leather boots on her tiny feet. He smiled as he tugged her skirt back in place, running a finger over her tiny face.

Turning to look at Emily, he saw she was just as fascinated with Bradley's gift. On her hand was a tiny wooden train, the wood smooth and the colors a faded pastel. She lifted it up to eye level to look inside the tiny windows, gasping in surprise when she saw the tiny wooden seats on the inside of the passenger car. The little wheels turned when she rubbed her thumb against them, making her smile as she turned to look at Sam, her eyes bright with tears of happiness.

"Maybe it's working, Sam," Emily's smile grew as she looked down at the small doll in her husband's large hands, "Maybe Leah is finding herself. We both know that the Leah that left La Push would have never done this."

"You're right," Sam looked down at the doll, finally wondering how Leah was doing. If the gifts she had send were anything to go by, then it looked like she was slowly letting go.

How he wished he could see her, hug her, and tell her congratulations as well. It was a victory, her ability to let go of everything she had been holding on to for the past four years, even if she was just doing it a bit at a time.


	21. Chapter 20

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__ As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline.**

**AN: I am giving you all these next chapters because I am officially at the mid-way point of Leah's story. There will no longer be any more memory flashbacks, since you have seen the relationship between Leah and Sam start and finish by now. **

**Now, my new character will be coming into the story but I have to observe him and Leah for a while first before it starts coming, although they are already interacting. Enjoy what I have posted and keep looking for the new chapters...what would happen in Leah's life now? REVIEW! If you have ideas, share them!!! REVIEW!  
**

**Chapter Twenty**

She was several miles outside of Montreal and so ready for a break to stretch out her body, get some caffeine and use the bathroom. Of course, the bathroom would be first, then the caffeine.

Her memories were getting interesting, more self-reveling. She finally understood the misery, agony and pain she had unnecessarily caused the others and how unfair it had been of her. Once she had the chance, she planned on apologizing to each one of them, but especially to Sam, Embry, Quil and Jacob…although whether she would see Jacob to apologize was a whole different thing.

She had used the information that Sadie had told her concerning her and Embry's father as a means to taunt all of them, because she never came right out and say that Sadie believed Sam's father, Joshua Uley, was her father.

_She cocked her head to the side as they all watched the Cullen's sparring, teaching them how to fight newborn vampires. Oh, she had just remembered something interesting…Embry Call. _

_Why was it that she was the only one interested in knowing who Embry was related to…obviously, he was related to one of them since his mother was from the Makah reservation. Otherwise, Embry wouldn't be a werewolf…so the question is whose father was screwing around on his wife? Could it be Billy Black? Or perhaps Quil Ateara Sr…or maybe, and here's the possible kicker because we all know what a loser he is, just like his son, Joshua Uley? _

**Sam: **_Leah, pay attention. _

**Leah: **_Oh sorry. It's just that the idea of vampires giving me tips on how to fight other vampires kind of seems a little…fishy to me. So my mind tends to wander._

**Jacob:**_ You're just being a bitch. _

**Paul: **_As usual._

**Seth: **_Hey, lay off Leah. We should all be paying attention._

**Leah:**_ Seth, how many times have I told you? You don't need to come to my rescue every time these morons start mouthing off. They're just upset because I bring up nasty little things that they would rather pretend weren't true…such as Embry._

**Embry: **_Would you back off?_

**Leah:**_ Mmm…that's what your mama should have told your daddy, then you wouldn't be here, now would you?_

**Embry: **_I swear to God, if you weren't a girl…_

**Leah: **_What? You'd teach me a lesson? You know I can have you on the ground in less than three minutes. _

**Sam: **_Okay, you two. Stop it. Need I remind you that we are here to learn how to take out newborn vampires? Besides, there's a mind reader among them and I myself don't like having our dirty laundry aired for him to see._

**Leah: **_Oh yes 'cause we must impress the Cullen's. We all know that if Jacob finally figures out a way to get it on with Bella, as if that will ever happen, he's probably going to have to get the Cullen's to like him. Aren't they, like, her adoptive family by now?_

**Jacob: **_Just shut your mouth Leah._

**Leah: **_What do you think she sees in him that you don't have, Jake? Granted, he's way cuter than you…but still, I mean…he must have something that intrigues her. How sad…Bella picking someone without a heart over you._

**Jacob:**_ I don't have any problems with kicking your ass just because you're a girl, Leah. So unless you want to be limping around for several weeks, just shut your fucking mouth._

**Leah:**_Oh, I'm scared now…you don't even have a strong enough character to take on being Alpha…I doubt you'd be able to do anything to me._

**Seth: **_Leah, maybe you should just be quiet._

**Quil: **_I second that._

**Sam:**_ Leah, you are no longer allowed to talk for the rest of tonight. _

**Seth: **_That's a little harsh._

**Sam: **_It's necessary. Now, I think it would be smart for us to get the Cullen's scent so we don't mistake them for the newborns. Seth, stay between me and Leah._

_They had moved together out of the forest towards the Cullen's sniffing each of them in turn, their noses wrinkling in pain at the sick sweet scent of each of them. _

_Leah was pissed, unable to spew off her anger, wishing she could bite someone, or something, just to release the anger in her. Moving down the line of Cullen's, she growled angrily when Jacob broke ranks to head to Bella, acting like a stupid puppy. _

_What a moron._

_After the Cullen's invited them to return the next night, Leah walked off with the rest of them, noticing how Quil and Embry hung back to wait for Jacob. _

_Leah headed off towards her house, having already done her patrols and fulfilled her werewolf duty at being present during the vampire taught fighting lesson. _

**Sam: **_Leah –_

_Leah ignored him as she reached the back of her house, refusing to talk to him, not that it mattered since she couldn't talk anyway. Phasing back, she removed the gym shorts and tank top from her ankle, dressing quickly before opening the back door of her house, closing it just as she felt a shimmer in the air. _

_She ignored the knock, giving her mother a nod before heading upstairs to her room._

_She didn't want to talk to Sam, and she hoped he got the point but knew he hadn't when there was a knock on her door. Rolling over to her stomach, her feet hanging off the bed, she ignored the knock, knowing that he would eventually find a way to let himself in. _

_Sure enough, several minutes later, her bedroom door opened and Sam ducked just as Leah hurled her bedside clock at him. Moving quickly into her room, he grabbed her wrists just as she was reaching for another object from her bedside table._

"_You need to stop, Lee," Sam looked down at her as she struggled to pull her wrists out of his grasp. She was strong but he was stronger, "We all know you're hurting and we know you're mad, but you can't keep doing this. You're tearing the pack into pieces…hurting them just because you're hurting isn't going to help…it'll just make things worse for you. Please understand –"_

"_No, you understand," Leah hissed at him as she continued to tug at her wrists without success, "I told you I didn't want to be a part of this pack. I have no interest in protecting Bella Swan or anybody else. I can barely take care of myself Sam, but here you are, forcing me to take care of others. Just let me go. You don't need me. You have Collin and Brady now –"_

"_Leah," Sam gave her a hard look, "You phased. Therefore, it is your responsibility, along with all of ours, to protect your tribe, your people…your mother, Leah. Why do you keep fighting this?"_

"_Because it's not fair!" Leah sagged against him, her arms going limp, tears spilling over onto her cheeks, "It's not fair that I lose you and now I have to be in your head all the time. I can handle not having you, somehow, but I can't take having to feel what you feel for her. I don't want to see that much less feel it. How can you ask me to put up with you? You left me. So shouldn't that mean that I don't have to have you in my life anymore?"_

_Sam wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head as she cried, her hands balled into fists against his chest, "I'm sorry, Lee, but I need you. We all do. You're a part of the pack; you're a part of us. Without you, our pack isn't complete."_

"_Oh please," Leah pushed him away, clambering off the opposite end of the bed, "I bet if you take a vote, they would all be for getting rid of Leah 'The Bitch' Clearwater."_

_Sam shook his head as he stood up, looking around her room, realizing with surprise that it looked completely different from the last time he had been here…all the pictures on the walls were gone as well as the posters. There was no longer a mirror over her dresser and the little knick knacks she had been a fan of collecting were no longer visible. The peach colored carpet she used to have had been replaced by a wooden floor, which lacked rugs to make it homier. _

_Turning to look at her, he watched her open the bedroom door, holding it open for him. _

"_I don't want you here," Leah looked at him, her brown-green eyes flat and curiously empty, "Please leave."_

_Sam walked around the bed, realizing that it wasn't the same one he had last made love to her in before he walked out the door, turning around just to have her close it on his face._

Leah liked Montreal. She had decided to spend a week there so she could relax, have some decent sleep and be able to walk about. She couldn't help but laugh as she realized that her butt would be very grateful it wouldn't have to sit for hours for the next few days.

Walking around the streets, she took pictures of buildings, flowers, people, the horizon. Anything, really, that she thought her mother might like. She was on disposable camera number eight and it had finally hit her how expensive it was going to be to develop all of them at once.

Oh well, she was just going to have to deal with it, she supposed. Walking down a busy street, she saw a sign for a beauty salon and decided at the last minute to go in. Her usual page-boy cut had grown out to her shoulder blades and although she didn't plan on cutting it as short as it last was, she needed a trim…or maybe a new look…

_Leah let out a howl as Jacob shoved her aside, leaving himself open to the newborn that she had found. She watched in horror and shock as the vampire wrapped his arms around Jacob, crushing his right side by the time that Quil and Embry had reached him and ripped off his arms, quickly dismembering him. _

**Sam: **_What the hell were you thinking Leah? Did you want to get yourself killed?_

**Jacob: **_Yes._

_Leah turned to snarl at him but stopped as she saw his misshapen body. Carlisle Cullen was already there, with Jasper at his side, encouraging Jacob to phase. _

**Sam: **_Go home Leah. You're not needed here._

_Leah turned to look at him, a sharp pain at his words tearing through her chest before she turned away and ran home, getting to the back door just as Seth burst out of the forest._

**Seth: **_What the hell happened?_

**Leah:**_ Jacob got hurt…_

**Seth: **_I know that. I saw it. What I meant was what happened with you? You promised Dad you would never try to kill yourself again and yet you went after the newborn alone?_

**Leah: **_I thought I could take him by myself…you know, prove that I was just as tough as the rest of you._

**Seth: **_Bullshit Leah. You were hoping the bloodsucker would kill you. Be glad I won't tell mom. _

_Leah phased, pulling on her gym shorts and T-shirt before walking into the house and heading up to her room, tears running down her face as she realized that Jacob had gotten hurt because she was being stupid. She hadn't planned on that, hadn't expected him, of all people, to jump in and save her from herself. _

_Now she felt like she owed him…she hated that._

Jacob dropped the admissions paper work on the table, running his fingers through his hair before he walked to the back of the house towards the family den where he could hear Annabelle's clear voice.

"So I was thinking that maybe we all four could take dance," Annabelle was sitting on the couch, her long legs tucked under her, "You know, have some girl time together."

Jacob couldn't help but laugh at the horror that crossed Bella's face, "Dance? Me? No way in hell!"

"Come on Bella," Annabelle gave her a begging smile, "You're much more graceful now than you were before…it'll be fun."

"It will be hell," Bella shook her head, her chocolate brown hair swirling around her face, "No."

"I talked to Alice and she said she already foresaw you in the dance studio with us so you might as well skip all the no's and just agree to do it," Annabelle gave her a look that they had all dubbed her "Alice" look…the one that let you know you were going to be doing what she wanted you to do.

"Ah damn, that's not fair," Bella exclaimed, burying her face in her hands, "Why do you two gang up on me like that?"

"Because we know what's good for you," Alice spoke up, walking in through the sliding doors that lead to the backyard, "Anyway, school starts in two weeks. Have you four decided on your majors?"

Annabelle grinned up at Jacob as he jumped over the back of the couch to land next to her, his arm going around her shoulders, "I just got back from the admissions office. I went to declare my major."

"Which is," Emmett looked up from the book he was leafing through. He was thinking of building his own motorcycle, with Jacob's help of course, so now all he needed was to figure out what kind of motorcycle he wanted.

"Automotive engineering."

"Oh great," Rose muttered as she continued to leaf through the most recent fashion magazine.

"That's Rose's major," Annabelle grinned up at Jacob, giggling at the look of horror on his face, "You two are going to have classes together."

"Thankfully, no" Rose dropped the magazine on the side glass table; "Because he's going to be a freshman and I'm a sophomore…he needs to get his basics done first."

"My basics are already done, Blondie," Jacob grinned at the look of disgust on her face, "I took double credit courses the last two years while I was finishing high school. God bless the New Hampshire home schooling system."

They all laughed as Rose sniffed, turning away to ignore Jacob for the rest of the conversation.

"What about you, Annie," Edward looked up from the school course catalog that he was looking over, "Have you picked a major."

"Music," Annabelle smiled at all of them as they rolled their eyes at the obvious answer, "With an emphasis on the violin."

"Of course," Jacob murmured as he leaned over to place a kiss behind her ear.

"Stop that," Edward glared at them before turning to Bella, "Have you made up your mind what you want to do, Bella?"

"You mean aside from being forced to take dance," Bella glared at the girls, but she looked too much like a pissed off kitten that they laughed, "I was thinking English Literature. What about you, Edward?"

"Medicine, of course," Edward smiled at her as he leaned over to kiss her, whispering something into her ear low enough that the rest couldn't hear.

"Again?" Emmett shook his head as he closed the magazine, "You and Jasper are the same. Medicine and psychology…every time."

"It's the only two fields where you can actually learn something new," Edward gave his big brother a condescending look, "But what about you Emmett? What have you picked?"

"I'm still undecided," Emmett shrugged as he pushed himself to his feet, "Hey Jake, want to go hunting?"

"Sure," Jacob leaned over to kiss Annabelle's lips, "I'll be back in an hour, k?"

"Okay," Annabelle smiled up at him, watching as the "Black" brothers walked out through the sliding doors, Jacob stepping out of view for a bit then back in view on four legs.

It was a strange habit of his, going hunting in his wolf form. She supposed it was because it made him feel less of a "leech" but she wasn't sure. One thing she knew was that he was the only one out of all of them that actually enjoyed hunting for animal blood.

Jacob and Bella had spent two years away from people, along with Annabelle and Edward, but it hadn't really been necessary. Bella was able to fight her desire for human blood and Jacob…well, human blood made him queasy. They had actually tried an experiment by giving him donated human blood but he had puked it all up…not a pretty sight.

"Why are those two always together," Rose muttered darkly as she stared after them although they were no longer visible, "It's truly disturbing."

"Well, Emmett has always wanted a dog," Alice laughed at the look that Annabelle gave her, "Just kidding."

"They connected in Italy, remember," Jasper closed the book he was reading, something about the civil war history, "When it became obvious they both think the same way."

"Ah, you mean their mad grab and dash plan," Bella laughed as she returned to the book she was reading. She had gotten into the habit of borrowing Annabelle's books, since she had early editions of so many early writers, among them the Bronte sisters, Jane Austin, Mark Twain, and so many others.

"So I was thinking we could all take the same electives," Alice moved from the sliding door where she had been standing, to sit next to Annabelle, "So we can all have some classes together."

"Sheesh Alice," Annabelle turned to look at her, "It's not as if we don't stand out when we're alone, you want us in a big group? Might as well put a sign over our heads that let's everyone know we're not human."

Edward laughed in agreement despite the frown Alice send his way, "Sorry Alice, but Annie's right. You can't have all of us in the same classroom…that may cause problems."

"Fine, whatever," Alice shrugged as she leaned back into the couch, "I was just thinking it would be nice to foster a sense of family."

"More than what we already have," Bella looked up at Alice, a smile on her face, "We all live together and get on each other's nerves…well, that's mostly Rose and Jacob, but anyway, I think we are pretty much doing the family thing right…even without Carlisle and Esme living with us."

"I just think it's important, what with all of us being at Dartmouth at the same time," Alice shrugged again, looking at her fingernails with intense concentration, "People are bound to notice our similarities so I think we need to establish our relationships to each other from the beginning."

"It will be immediately established, Ali," Jasper moved out of his chair, walking through the family den towards the second floor, which had two bedrooms, one for Alice and Jasper, the other for Rose and Emmett. Edward, Bella, Annabelle and Jacob had their rooms on the third floor, "We tend to gravitate towards each other after all. Even Rose, whether she will admit it or not, tends to gravitate towards Jacob."

"I do not," Rose glared at Jasper before she turned a questioning look at Annabelle.

"Sorry, Rose," Annabelle lifted her shoulders then let them drop, giving her an apologetic smile, "But you do. It's like you're addicted to the blonde jokes."

"I have another one," Jacob walked in, followed by Emmett, both looking flushed, "I just thought of it while we were out."

"Oh God," Rose let her head drop back in a show of annoyance, "Do you ever think of anything else but how to annoy the hell out of me?"

"Nope," Jacob grinned as he moved further into the room, easily picking Annabelle up to sit in her place, situating her on his lap despite Edward's dark glare. That guy sometimes took the older brother thing too far, "Anyway, what do you call a blonde with half a brain?"

Alice chuckled along with Edward as Rose narrowed her eyes at Jacob, reaching out to punch Emmett who was already laughing.

"You call her gifted."

They all laughed, except for Rose of course, because it had become such a normal part of their lives, the constant bickering between Jacob and Rose…it seemed to distract her from wallowing in how her life had turned into something she didn't want.

It was interesting, the relationships that had formed among them. Jacob and Edward still got on each other's nerves, Emmett and Jacob had bonded in a way that was seen only in brothers, Jasper and Annabelle tended to spend time together to talk about all sorts of things, Bella and Alice were still best friends, with Alice driving Bella crazy with her constant make-overs and wardrobe overhauls, Edward and Annabelle spend time together, getting to be better friends, Bella and Jacob were still the best friends they had always been, Jacob and Rosalie bickered constantly, trading insults as often as they could.

But the most surprising relationship was the one between Rosalie and Annabelle. They weren't best friends the way Annabelle and Edward were or Alice and Bella but it seemed that the friendship between Jacob and Emmett had somehow tossed them together, pushing a friendship onto the two of them that they had come to realize they didn't mind.

In other words, they were all happy with the way things were and were not expecting any changes to come their way and disrupt what they had…but sometimes, what is expected and what really happens doesn't always coincide.


	22. Chapter 21

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I need help with new blonde jokes! So readers, leave a review and share any and all funny blonde jokes I can use in my story as I go. Thank you all!!!**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Two weeks after leaving Montreal, Leah was finally driving into Hanover, New Hampshire, seeing the signs for Dartmouth University easily from the highway. She was glad she wasn't going to have to stop for directions…

Then again, why she was surprised that the town claimed being the home of an Ivy League school she didn't know. Seeing the upcoming sign for the main campus, she got off the highway, following the signs that led her to the visitor's parking lot.

She stepped out of her car, automatically locking it, instantly feeling like she stood out. School had already started, at least that's what it seemed with all the students walking around from one building to another, either on their own or in pairs or groups.

She felt like she was being stared at as she stepped up onto the sidewalk, wondering where she could find Jacob, if he were here that is. Sniffing the air, she couldn't smell anything so she decided to just walk around for a bit.

Running her hands through her hair, which she had gotten cut in layers as well as highlighted, she looked around at the students, noticing the cashmere sweaters, designer jeans, pleat skirts. She knew they were wondering where she had come from with her dirty Converse sneakers, tight fitted jeans with the holes on the knees, a faded out purple top that barely hit the top of her jeans and to top it all off, a worn out black leather jacket.

She did her best to ignore the looks that were being directed her way, trying not to care that they actually thought themselves better than her simply because of the difference in wardrobe. She really hoped Jacob hadn't gotten as bigheaded as some of these college kids obviously were.

Stepping into what looked like the quad, she froze mid-step as she caught a sweet scent that caused the end of her nose to burn. Well, she didn't find Jacob but if he were with the Cullen's then she found one of them…unless there were other vampires who appreciated higher education.

* * *

"Oh shit." Alice froze where she was, forcing the students behind her to go around her to be able to get out of the classroom. Jasper grasped her hand and tugged her out of the way, touching her face to get her to focus on him.

"What's wrong, Ali," Jasper whispered into her face, his eyes looking over her in concern, "What did you see?"

"Leah's here," Alice turned worried butterscotch colored eyes towards Jasper, her face scrunched up, "On campus. Jacob, Annabelle, Edward and Bella just disappeared."

"We were going to meet them at the quad, right," Jasper took Alice's hand and pulled her behind him, remembering the fastest way to get to the quad from the history building.

Alice gnawed at her thumbnail as she walked after Jasper, hating the blindness that came along with the werewolves. It had been three years since she'd felt this vulnerable and she realized that she still didn't like it. She had no idea how Leah was going to react once she realized that Jacob was no longer human. Would she get angry enough to phase? Would she head back to La Push and bring the pack against them?

Because Jacob was now a vampire, Alice was able to see his future, even when he was in wolf form, because his transformations were no longer ruled by emotion. It didn't matter how mad Jacob got, he no longer lost his "shape" so to speak. He was now able to deal with anger in a normal way.

Not that Jacob got angry all that often. There were the occasional fights between him and Edward, yes, but those weren't much compared to what Jacob had experienced before. For some strange reason, becoming a vampire had balanced Jacob's emotional stability.

But that was Jacob –from what Alice remembered about Leah, she was as unbalanced as they came. And it was frightening, the idea that Leah might let her emotions get the best of her, thus exposing herself, and them of course, to the rest of the student body population.

They had to get there before Leah approached Jacob, if she hadn't already.

* * *

Annabelle laughed as Jacob walked several steps ahead of her, feigning anger at the fact that she and Bella were making fun of him. They had just gotten out of their Greek Philosophy class, which Annabelle and Jacob had along with Edward and Bella.

It had been an interesting class because Jacob hadn't been paying attention to the professor, a tall dark blond with blue eyes that had moved from a small town in Greece and still had an accent.

Instead, he had been having one of those one sided conversations with Edward about something or other so that when the professor called on Jacob, he couldn't help but admit that he hadn't been paying attention.

"Oh come on, Jacob," Annabelle laughed as she called out to him, "Anyone could have lost focus in class."

Bella laughed as Jacob shot a glare over his shoulder at Annabelle before turning to look away. Annabelle shrugged as she turned towards Edward, handing him her book bag and violin case before she took off in a slow run, jumping on Jacob's back and wrapping her arms around his throat.

Jacob dropped his books to keep his balance, although he would never have lost it, but there were people looking and they had to act human.

"I almost fell flat on my face, Anna," he growled loud enough for a couple of girls that were watching them to hear, smiling when she kissed his cheek before whispering into his ear:

"We both know if you had fallen, I would have made it worth your time."

"You two are disgusting," Edward muttered as he approached them, Annabelle's bag slung over his shoulder, holding Bella's hand, the violin case in the other.

Annabelle laughed as Jacob swung her around to his front, giving her a kiss that she knew would annoy Edward.

"Stop that," Edward muttered darkly, his eyes narrowing. It had been three years but he still wasn't used to seeing Jacob maul Annabelle, "Alice and Jasper should be getting here and…"

"Edward?" Jacob placed Annabelle on her feet, both turning to look at Edward with concern, feeling a bit of dread at the look of shock on his face as he stared past Jacob's shoulder.

Jacob cocked his head as he realized there was someone standing several feet behind him. Turning around, he stood still as he realized that his worst fear was about to be realized.

* * *

Leah stood where she had frozen, watching the Cullen's play the human role to perfection. Her eyes narrowed as the small vampire with waist length blue black hair jumped onto Jacob's back, kissing his neck at something he said.

She still found it amazing that Jacob had imprinted on a vampire…how did he keep himself from phasing and tearing her to pieces? Just the sickly sweet smell alone was causing Leah's hands to shake with the urge to phase and destroy her enemies.

Stuffing her hands into her jeans' pockets, she waited to see if Jacob would eventually notice her. Sure enough, his back to her along with his imprints', Leah noticed a look of shock on Edward Cullen's face, which tipped off Jacob.

Standing still, she watched him turn to her, his eyes wide and his face blank of any emotion. Sure enough, it looked like he had been expecting her and she couldn't help but flinch at the look in his eyes that told her he had hoped she wouldn't show up.

"Hey Jake."

"Leah," Jacob moved his arm around his imprint, pushing her to stand behind him. Leah lowered her eyebrows at his strange behavior as she looked over the girl, noticing the small details that made her beautiful, such as her big eyes, the voluminous blue black hair, the pouty lips and upturned nose.

And not to sound like she was interested in women or anything, because she wasn't, but this vampire had a body to kill for…even sexier than the blonde leech that Leah briefly remembered was named Rose or something along those lines.

Looking away from her, she shot a quick glance at Edward Cullen before turning her eyes to the girl next to him, deducing that she was Bella Swan…err, Cullen. Leah's eyes widen as she looked over their newest addition, realizing that she looked nothing like her old self yet still had the distinct look that made her uniquely Bella.

Shaking her head, she turned her eyes back to Jacob, giving him a friendly smile, hoping she could talk to him alone but as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, she realized that would not be possible. It seemed that the psychic and her partner were joining this reunion along with those already present.

"Bet you're wondering what I'm doing here," Leah shrugged, running her hand through her hair, noticing that they were still shaking slightly as she looked around at the other students that were looking on curiously.

"Kind of, yeah" Jacob shrugged in response, pushing his girl behind him again, which seemed to keep trying to stand next to him.

"Well," Leah looked down at her Converse sneakers, noticing that the other two Cullens, the blonde and the big one, were coming from another path into the quad, "I was hoping to talk to you…about something…somewhat personal."

"Then we should meet at another place," Jacob cocked his head to the side, "This is hardly the place to talk about something personal."

"Right," Leah nodded as she looked up at Jacob, "You're right. Where would you…"

Her voice faded as for the first time she was noticing the changes on Jacob Black. His skin was still a russet color but it look faded out…pale, if it was possible. Jacob's face and body exhibited a marbled hardness that Leah had only seen on the leeches.

Her eyes locking with Jacob's, she realized that they were no longer the dark brown, almost black, that she recalled, but a honey brown color…a mixture of yellow and red…

"You…you're…" Leah couldn't help the increased shaking of her body as her mind slowly digested everything she was seeing, "You son of a bitch. You disgusting traitor…how…how could you…"

Leah's breathing was hectic and she was starting to feel the heat climbing up her spine that let her know she was about to phase when all of a sudden, calmness washed over her, decreasing the shaking. She turned to glare at the male blond, knowing full well that he was manipulating her emotions.

Taking stock of all the staring faces that were raptly paying attention, she felt a grudge of gratitude that he had helped calm her down as she turned to look at Jacob again.

"You traitorous bastard," Leah snarled at him, her eyes narrowing in disgust and what looked like hatred, "I don't know why I even thought of coming here to you."

Turning on her heel, she quickly walked away, heading the opposite way from where she had parked but not caring. She just wanted to get away from the leeches as soon as possible.

"Leah, wait –" Jacob called out after her and she increased her speed, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to contain herself if he got close enough to stop her.

Running down the sidewalk at full speed, knowing Jacob wouldn't dare run faster than what was humanely possible, she wasn't paying attention, running straight into a tall blonde man.

With the force she hit him, they both ended up on the ground, the small stack of papers he had been carrying with him, flying everywhere along with a briefcase. Leah felt the heat of embarrassment climb up her face as she pushed herself to her feet, quickly clambering around for the papers and shoving them into his hands without looking at his face, "I am so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Are you a student here," he asked, his voice faintly laced with a foreign accent that Leah couldn't place. She shook her head as she looked around the ground to see if there were anymore papers.

Seeing that Jacob was approaching them, she turned away and quickly walked off, still able to listen to the man as he asked Jacob,

"Mr. Black, was that a friend of yours?"

"Yes sir…well, she used to be. From back when I lived in Washington."

"I see. Will she be around the campus?"

"Probably not, Professor. She might be heading back to Washington by the end of the day."

Leah turned a corner, looking around and seeing that she could head back to the parking lot by walking behind the building next to her.

She wrapped her arms around her as she felt strangely pulled back towards Jacob…probably her inner wolf need to rip his throat out for his betrayal.

An expatriate her ass. He had actually become a vampire…what the fuck was he thinking?

He had broken the treaty, as well as the Cullen's by helping him with it. She wondered if his imprint had been more than happy to take a sample of his blood while helping him to gain immortality.

She shook her head as she approached her car, not believing what she had just discovered. Was it really possible, Jacob Black a vampire? Why would he do that? It's not as if he wasn't, in a sense, immortal already as a werewolf. Did he just want to be less breakable for his bloodsucking imprint?

Sick bastard…but what if he had not chosen this but decided to live with it? What if his imprint bit him without his consent, either accidentally or otherwise?

Leah knew that as a protector of her tribe, of her people, her loyalty towards them came first…she knew that she would have to tell Sam and help with whatever he decides to do next.

The question is, though, would the pack be willing to take down their traitorous brother…along with his imprint and the rest of the Cullens?


	23. Chapter 22

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"I heard they were dating back before his parents died and he was adopted," a short haired brunette said to her friend, a mousy haired girl with acne problems, "He went off to boarding school somewhere in Italy and they never officially broke up."

"Really," the mousy haired girl's eyebrows lowered, "That must be why she acted so weird…she must have noticed how close he and the Causley twin were…what a jerk. Keeps stringing her along while he gets himself a girlfriend at this boarding school."

"Yeah, but he is so hot," the brunette bit her lip, "Along with his brothers."

"They aren't all related right?"

"No…they're all adopted. And they're all paired off, which really sucks. I wouldn't mind trying my hand on Jacob Black."

"As if he would ever look at you," a blonde sitting behind the brunette snorted, popping her gum.

"You're just ticked because Edward Cullen won't look at you," the brunette shot back before turning to her friend, "Edward Cullen and Jacob Black are dating the twins…although I heard that Edward and Bella got married after they graduated high school."

"That's just a rumor," the blonde interrupted again, sniffing when the brunette and her mousy friend ignored her.

"Tell me again how they are all related," the mousy girl twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

"They're not," the brunette bit the end of her pen, "Well not all around, you know? If I remember correctly, the two brunettes are twin sisters…which make sense since they have similar names…Isabelle and Annabelle. The little one, Alice, is Edward's sister and his brother is that big guy, Emmett –"

"Now he is cute," the mousy girl giggled, a blush creeping up her pimply face.

"He's dating that blonde chick…her twin brother is dating Edward's sister."

"So they all grew up together," the blonde asked, casting a glance over her shoulder at the two people they were talking about that happened to be in their class.

"I'm not sure…" the brunette looked across the room in the same direction as the blonde, "But I do know that Jacob Black is their most recent addition. I heard his parents died three or four years ago in a car crash and since they were good friends with the Cullen's they adopted him and send him to that fancy boarding school along with the rest of them."

"Where are y'all getting this crap from," a redhead that was sitting in the row in front of the brunette and her mousy friend turned around, giving them a narrowed look.

"We…heard it around…campus," the brunette stammered, looking down at the notebook she had on her desk.

"You know what happens to people that believe in rumors, right," the redhead gave them an arrogant little smile, "They end up looking like fools."

The three girls opened their mouths to say something in return just as the professor walked into the classroom, dropping his briefcase and stack of papers on his desk before turning his back on them all, grabbing a marker to start writing on the whiteboard.

Class was going to start soon and they would have to wait to say something mean to the arrogant redhead at another time.

* * *

Frederick Randal Laskaris, known as Rick by those who were close to him and as Professor Laskaris to his colleagues and students, couldn't help but roll his eyes at the conversation that several of his female students had been having concerning what were already known as the Cullen siblings, although they weren't all related with the same last name.

It truly was interesting to him, and not to mention intriguing, how absorbed and fascinated a good number of the Dartmouth student population and even some of the faculty were concerning the unusual family. Sociologically speaking, it would be an interesting study to watch the way these normal students reacted to the abnormality that was the Cullens.

But Rick knew better…his interest in that family came from a different aspect…from an aspect with slightly more knowledge. He was especially interested in one specific member of that family, but he kept his interest to himself because he didn't want to expose himself or his mission concerning those eight teenagers, if he should even call them that.

Placing his marker back onto the board rack, he turned to his classroom, his eyes raking over them, lingering a little longer on Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale.

He had all eight of them in the three different classes that he taught. Alice and Jasper were in his Greek Language class, Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen were taking his Greek History class, and he had Annabelle and Isabelle Causley, along with Edward Cullen and Jacob Black in his Greek Philosophy class. For that reason and that reason alone, he knew who they were.

They weren't known for socializing among the students or attending student events hosted on campus. Rick himself also tended to keep separate from the students and faculty, simply getting onto the campus to teach his three courses a day, spend several hours in his office as required and then head to his apartment where he prepared his next day's lessons before nightfall.

"Alright everyone," Rick called out to get their attention, his blue eyes looking stern as a couple of students here and there kept whispering to each other, "We've already finished our required getting back to school week, so it is time to get down to some serious learning. On the board, I have written out the Greek alphabet and the equivalent in the English language. Please copy them down then we will start working on the pronunciation of each letter."

Rick pulled out his chair and sat down, knowing it would take them at least ten minutes to copy down the entire contents of the board. Running his hand through his dark blond hair, he glanced over at Alice and Jasper, noticing that they weren't writing.

Either they had written it all down along with him or they already knew it, which was the probable answer. Narrowing his eyes, he kept staring at them as Alice turned to look his way, a strange look evident on her odd colored eyes. There was something funny about that little one…

* * *

Alice giggled as she and Jasper walked out of the classroom behind the girls that had resumed their earlier conversation.

"So do you think she'll be back on campus," the mousy one asked her friend, shifting her books in her arms.

"Naw…she's probably heading back to wherever she came from, cussing out his name."

"Did you see what she was wearing?" the mousy girl shook her head as she tugged at her cashmere sweater, "Explains why he dresses so atrociously. It's a pity he doesn't have the same fashion sense as the rest of his siblings."

"I know," the brunette tossed her hair over her shoulder, "I liked her hair though. It looked really…edgy."

Jasper grabbed Alice's hand and pulled her towards the opposite end of the hallway, heading towards the student center where they would meet with the others, "So, when did you have time to spread those rumors about Jacob?"

"Oh, you know," Alice shrugged, a look of concentration on her face, "Does Jacob really look that bad?"

"What?"

"His clothes," Alice gnawed on her bottom lip, "I mean, I actually thought Leah looked pretty cute with what she was wearing but now that I think about it, most of Jacob's jeans have holes in them and he only wears T-shirts. Not to mention his sneakers…they look like they're ready for the trash bin."

"Give it a rest, Alice," Jasper ran his hand through his hair, "He's not going to let you do anything to his wardrobe and you know that."

Alice continued gnawing on her bottom lip as they entered the student center and headed towards the others. Their schedules were perfectly coordinated so they could all arrive and leave at the same time, decreasing the need of vehicles.

It was one of Anna's pet peeves, the fact that she had to leave her Lamborghini behind when heading to school, in the pretense of not standing out. Instead, they all divided themselves between Edward's silver Volvo and Alice's yellow Porsche.

"So," Jacob glared up at Alice from where he was sitting, Annabelle tucked by his side under his arm, "You made me out to be an asshole, uh?"

"What?!" Alice gave him a hurt look, "No. That was just…the general consensus by the student population...mostly the females. All I did was hint at a previous relationship between you and Leah…everything else was their additions."

"Leah…a relationship with Leah," Jacob shook his head as he turned to look into Annabelle's eyes, "Only if I were a masochist."

"And we both know Edward has that title locked up in spades," Annabelle smiled up at him before kissing his lips.

"Stop that," Edward muttered as he turned to look at Alice, "Why do you even bother?"

"Because we have to have a story," Alice shrugged her shoulder, picking at her perfectly shaped nails, "And I seem to be the only one that cares…I'm getting really good at it. I think I should start writing books."

"Oh boy," Bella whispered as she turned wide eyes at Edward who smiled in response to her grimace.

"So what is the story," Rosalie looked up from the book in her hand to stare at Alice.

"Well," Alice grinned at all of them, "This time around, Edward, Emmett and I are Esme's younger siblings. She married Carlisle when she was twenty, and we were all in middle school, in Emmett's case a high school freshman, when our parents died in a fire, so Esme and Carlisle, as our legal guardians, took us in. A year later, they found out they couldn't have children so they became foster parents. That's how they ended up adopting their two sets of twins. About six years ago, they moved to Seattle while their brood of teenagers were in a boarding school in Italy. Esme ran into an old childhood friend there who is married with a teenage son of her own. As it turns out, they live a street away from each other so friendships get renewed. Two years later, Dorothy and Samuel Black die in a car crash…they got hit by a drunk driver, and their teenage son, Jacob Black, is left orphaned. He has no other family members so Esme and Carlisle adopt him and send him off to the boarding school along with their other children."

"And that's where I meet the most beautiful girl ever known to mankind," Jacob's grin grew at Rosalie's sniff of indignation, "And to my astonishment, I find out that she's also an adoptee of my new parents."

"Right," Alice nodded her head, stepping on Edward's foot before he opened his mouth to tell Jacob and Annabelle his usual "stop that" as they kissed, "Anyway, we all ended up in Dartmouth and Esme and Carlisle decided to move to Hanover, New Hampshire to be closer to all of us for support as we start the tough journey that is college."

"We need to start the tough journey home," Emmett pushed himself off the floor by Rosalie's feet where he had been sitting, "Jacob and I are going to go shopping today."

"Dude, you finally decided," Jacob looked up at Emmett with excited eyes as he stood up, pulling Annabelle along with him.

"Yup," Emmett grinned in echoing excitement, "A Fat Boy Harley."

"Sweet," Jacob lifted his fist and butted it against Emmett's before reaching down to pick up his and Annabelle's back packs, letting her take her violin case.

"Oh boy," Rosalie muttered darkly, giving Jacob a disgruntled look, "More male bonding to put up with."

"Oh, you just hate that he has more fun with me than you," Jacob shrugged as he moved around the center table, cutting off Rosalie as he pulled Annabelle to walk in front of him.

"Excuse me," Rosalie shoved him, hating the fact that he didn't even stumble an inch, "But I think he has more fun with me…"

"Well, when it comes to _that_ kind of fun," both Jacob and Emmett stated simultaneously, causing everyone else, except for Rosalie of course, to laugh as they headed out of the student center and towards the student parking lot.

* * *

Leah leaned against the headboard of the motel bed, arms wrapped around her drawn up knees as she kept wondering about Jacob.

What had happened to make him into one of them? Why should it even matter? The bottom line was that the treaty was broken and Leah's responsibility was to let Sam and the pack know about this.

But for some strange reason, she couldn't go through with it. She wondered as to what could possibly be holding her back.

Yes, Jacob had once been her pack brother, even her Alpha, but she had never had much love towards the idiot. Was it lingering loyalty that kept her from either phasing and showing them everything?

She gnawed at her bottom lip as she continued to stare at the wall, still wondering why the hell she hadn't done anything.

A knock on the door broke her out of her revere. Pushing herself out of the bed, she walked towards the door, not needing to look out the peephole to see who it was.

She was surprised he had taken this long to show up.

* * *

Jacob looked up from his sneakers and into Leah's brown-green eyes, wondering if he was wasting his time. She was still here and there was a possibility that she may have already told Sam, but he took the chance anyway.

He needed to explain to her what had happened although he didn't think it would really make much of a difference.

"What," Leah snarled at him, her hand tightening around the doorknob.

"Can I come in," Jacob asked, shoving his fists into his jeans' pockets, actually scuffing the toe of his shoe against the sidewalk, "I'd like to explain."

Leah's eyes narrowed as she watched him shifting around, looking nervous. As if. "No, you can't. I've heard it's a bad thing to let a vampire inside your house."

"Leah," Jacob shoved his hand through his shoulder length hair, looking away from her face for a brief second, "I really want to explain to you. Once you have all the details then you're more than welcomed to do whatever the hell you were planning on doing."

"Why should I even listen to you, leech," Leah's eyes narrowed as she glared at him, "It doesn't matter what you say, the bottom line is the same."

"Please, Leah," Jacob's honey colored eyes locked with hers, "You owe me. All I'm asking is that you listen to me."

Leah bit her lip as she recalled the newborn battle, hating that she still had a debt to pay, "Fine, but I'm not letting you come in. We'll have to meet somewhere where we can be on even ground. I don't trust you."

"You honestly think I'm going to hurt you," Jacob's eyes widened in surprise at the sound of suspicion in Leah's voice, "You're my sister."

"No Jacob, I'm not," Leah shook her head, her voice dripping with disdain, "You're no longer a part of our pack…you belong to a coven now. Therefore, I don't trust you. You know that. I've never trusted vampires…even the good ones."

"Fine," Jacob's hands fisted inside his jeans' pockets, "We'll meet on even ground. All I want is for you to listen anyway. There's a forest about three miles west of town. Meet me there tomorrow night…about midnight should be good. I'll come alone."

Leah nodded before closing the door, leaning against it as she wondered if she was crazy. Had she made plans to meet with a vampire whose coven was within easy reach distance while her pack was across the country?

Shaking her head, she walked towards the bathroom, briefly wondering if this was just her suicidal tendencies or a sign of incoming lunacy.


	24. Chapter 23

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The full moon hung high on the sky as Jacob moved his fingers over Annabelle's face, tracing the pattern of shadows that fell across her entire body. Bending his head down, he kissed her softly, sucking her bottom lip for a second before gently biting down on it.

Annabelle giggled as she pulled away, sliding her fingers through his hair and down his neck, cupping it to pull him closer, if it were possible, sealing her lips over his, their tongues dancing a dance they never tired of.

"Do you really have to go alone," Annabelle whispered into his ear as he moved his mouth down her throat, his hand cupping her breast, making her softly moan at the fire slowly building inside her…again.

"Yes," Jacob whispered against her collarbone before he kissed it, sucking on her hard sweet-tasting skin for a few seconds before moving on, "She doesn't trust me. I understand that."

"But what if she doesn't listen? What if she attacks –"

Jacob pulled back to look down into her warm gold eyes, his honey ones wide with surprise, "Are you worried that Leah is going to take me out?"

Annabelle bit her lip as she traced his chest muscles with the tip of her index finger, "Not worried per say…more like concerned about the possibility."

"Anna," Jacob gave her an arrogant smile, "Not to sound egotistical or anything, but there's no possible way that Leah could do anything to me…and I mean anything. She can't even be faster than me anymore."

"Are you going in wolf form," Annabelle lifted her head to gently bite his neck, her teeth matching perfectly to the crescent shaped scars she had left behind.

Jacob closed his eyes at the sensations rocketing through his body. This girl knew how to drive him crazy, "No. No need for her to know. She might still decide to go to Sam and I don't think it's necessary for them to know I can still phase."

"Mhm," Annabelle bit down a little harder, laughing as Jacob rolled over her and into her, burying his hands into her thick hair, his mouth devouring hers as they began to move in tandem rhythm, "Do you think it will come to a war between us and them?"

"I hope not," Jacob moved his mouth down her throat, quickly finding the crescent shaped scars on her throat that he was looking for and biting her back, groaning at her passionate response.

It was their little secret, something that they had been able to keep even from Edward. It was amazing to both of them that those little scars, those life changing scars, were their sweet spot for each other.

Annabelle had once confessed to him that she wished he had been the reason behind her scars, as she was behind his, and ever since then, every time he made love to her, he bit her throat, his teeth matching exactly where the scars were, claiming her as his. Yes, the venom stung, but in their passion for each other, it somehow increased their need instead of diminishing it.

Annabelle clung to him as their passion grew, her eyes rolling back into her head as the sensations rocketed and exploded inside her. She wrapped herself tightly around Jacob as he found his peak, their mouths locked together as they slowly came down from their high.

Jacob moved to bury his head into her shoulder, breathing in her delicious warm raspberry scent, able to finally pick up the faint vanilla that came with it.

"Raspberries and vanilla," he whispered into her ear before touching his tongue to the skin behind it, "Delicious."

Annabelle laughed, both of them trembling at the sensations that action aroused, "If you only knew how delicious it is from my end…melting dark chocolate…absolutely intoxicating."

"I've never been much of a chocolate guy," Jacob smiled down at her before kissing the tip of her nose, "But you go ahead and have as much as you want."

Annabelle laughed again before tilting her head back, looking up at the sky, "It's time for you to go."

Jacob hummed in agreement as he moved his head down to suck on her breast, his hand cupping the other one.

"Jacob," Annabelle murmured as she ran her fingers through his hair, "If you start with that again, you're going to be late."

"I know, I know," Jacob moved his mouth up to hers, giving her a deep soul stirring kiss, "I'll see you at the house."

"Edward and I are going hunting," Annabelle reminded him as he stood up, fluidly following right behind him, stretching her arms up over her head, a small smile on her face as Jacob froze, a leg up in the air since he had been about to put on his jeans.

"God, you're beautiful," Jacob murmured as his eyes moved down her body and back up to her eyes, both of them recalling the first time he had seen her naked. It had also been late at night, with a full moon high up in the sky, deep inside the woods of Forks, Washington. He should have known right then and there that there would be no point in fighting his imprinting on this gorgeously sexy goddess of his.

"Get dressed, Jacob," Annabelle ducked her head to hide her pleased smile as she turned to grab her clothes, pulling on a pair of denim shorts along with a black _Poison_ tank top. To Alice's horror, Annabelle had started buying, and wearing, different band T-shirts, specifically the ones that she had fallen in love with after listening to the music Bella had put into the iPod she had given Annabelle when she first joined the Cullen family three years ago.

Jacob was already dressed by the time she turned around, moving towards her to run his fingers through her hair, quickly picking out the leaves and twigs from it. Unlike the other couples who seemed to either not care or were just used to it, Annabelle and Jacob preferred complete privacy for their intimate moments, going out to the near by woods…aside from the fact that making love on the forest floor brought back fond memories to both of them.

"Annoy the hell out of him for me, will ya," Jacob grinned down at Annabelle, knowing she wouldn't do that, "I'll see you when you get back, then."

"Alright," she stood on her tiptoes, kissing him softly, "I love you."

He smiled at her before kissing her back, giving her a quick hug before turning to run through the woods to the other side.

Annabelle sighed as she slid her feet into her black and white Converse sneakers, hoping that Jacob was right, that Leah wouldn't be able to do anything to him.

Because if Leah, by some miracle, was able to destroy Jacob, she would be effectively signing her own death warrant.

* * *

Leah reached the woods in good time although she had walked there on two legs. Sniffing the air, she was able to pick out different scents, an especially interesting one that made her think wolf and yet…not.

Finding a large clearing, she stopped several feet away among the trees and slowly took off her clothes, breathing deeply as she prepared herself, not only to phase but to keep her mind clear of all information incase one of her brothers was running patrols.

Thinking about Jacob made her hands shake and the fire travel up her spine, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to stifle those thoughts as soon as she was in wolf form so she took another deep breath, calming down.

How the hell was she going to phase if she wasn't angry? Quickly searching her mind, she flashed back to the morons in Ames, recalling the rage, embracing it as her body trembled, the fire returning to lick its way up her spine. God, she hoped the bastard had died of an infection.

**Seth:** _Leah!_

**Leah: **_Hey little brother. Are you the only one running patrols?_

**Seth: **_For the rest of the night, yes. I've been running more patrols than usual._

**Leah: **_Why? Sam and the rest of the pack too busy to help?_

**Seth: **_Nah. Just hoping to get to talk to you. I miss you._

**Leah: **_I miss you too. Did you get my postcard?_

**Seth: **_Yup! So Canada, uh? Are you still there?_

**Leah: **_Uh…yeah. _

**Seth: **_You're lying to me but for some weird reason, I don't want to know why. Hey, did you mean it? About the road trip?_

**Leah: **_Yeah, I meant it. Wouldn't have written it down if I hadn't._

**Seth: **_So you're coming back to La Push?_

**Leah: **_Eventually…hey, Seth, can you do me a favor?_

**Seth: **_Anything._

**Leah: **_Can you phase down? Tell Sam that I would like the night to myself. I'm sure the reservation won't be attacked this one night._

**Seth: **_I'll do that. But wait until he lets you know himself that it's okay before you start your pondering. Meanwhile, clean out your mind or fill it up with some other nonsense. _

**Leah: **_What do you mean? _

**Seth: **_Whatever you're hiding must be huge because all I'm seeing in your head right now is memories of me growing up. It's kind of embarrassing. So pick something else to show Sam, k?_

**Leah:**_Okay. Thank you Seth._

**Seth: **_No problem, sis._

Leah stretched out on her stomach, resting her head on her paws as she watched the full moon, wondering if she'd ever seen one as bright before. It was interesting, really, the fact that she had never before paid attention to the moon. Too busy looking at sunrises and sunsets. But there was something achingly beautiful and mysterious about the moon. It had the ability to give light yet it bleached out the colors of everything it touched, making the night into a black and white world with very little gray area.

Maybe that was the thing that made the moon special, that it took away the colors that blinded the eyes into seeing what was truly there.

**Sam: **_Waxing poetry, Leah?_

**Leah: **_That's the other thing about the moon…it inspires._

**Sam: **_Personally, I prefer the sun. If the moon bleeds out color and shows you what's truly there, then the sun shows you the colors and what could be._

**Leah: **_I see I'm not the only one waxing poetry here. So…can I have the night?_

**Sam: **_Why? You can have the night to yourself in human form. Why do you want to stay wolf for the night alone?_

**Leah: **_I'm kind of running low on cash and a girl's gotta eat, right? I'm thinking hunting's the only thing that I can afford at the moment._

**Sam: **_You hate eating that way._

**Leah: **_I do, yes, but I'm hungry and somewhat broke. Are you going to give me the night or not?_

**Sam: **_Yes, I am. I was just curious why you wanted it, that's all._

**Leah: **_Well, now you know._

**Sam: **_Do me a favor._

**Leah: **_I suppose I could do that._

**Sam: **_Call me tomorrow morning and let me know where you are. I want to know you're okay._

**Leah: **_Sam, I'm okay. And when I'm ready, I'll tell you where I am._

**Sam: **_Fine. When you're ready. By the way, thanks for the gifts._

**Leah: **_I hope Emily liked them._

**Sam: **_She loved them…I did too. That was real…thoughtful of you._

**Leah: **_I have my moments._

**Sam: **_I'll leave you to your own thoughts then. _

**Leah: **_Sam._

**Sam: **_Yeah?_

**Leah: **_I'm…sorry…I was such a bitch…to you…and to Emily. I've realized now I handled it all wrong –_

**Sam: **_Lee, you handled it the best way that you could at the time. I never blamed you or hated you for anything you said or did. I'm just sorry I pushed you into –_

**Leah: **_No, you didn't push me into anything. I made my own choices and I realize now that they weren't the best ones._

**Sam: **_Lee, you do know that I did love you? I really did. And I want you to be happy._

**Leah: **_I know Sam. And you know I still love you, right? That I also want you to be happy?_

**Sam: **_Yeah, I do. Lee, I'm so sorr –_

**Leah: **_Stop. What's done's done. I'm not there yet, Sam, but eventually, I'll learn to live with it. And I'll get over it._

**Sam: **_Leah, you have no idea how much I want that for you. To be free._

**Leah: **_Yeah…just like you are._

**Sam: **_God, Leah –_

**Leah: **_I'm not throwing it in your face Sam. Eventually, you would have let me go completely. Eventually, I'll get to do the same thing too. _

**Sam: **_Lee, you are coming back aren't you? I miss you. You were always a great friend and I just hope we can be friends again._

**Leah: **_Be friends…eventually, Sam, but not yet. You'll be one of the first ones to know when I'm ready to head back home._

**Sam: **_Right. Well, I'll give you your night. You can't seem to stop thinking about deer._

**Leah: **_That's what I'm hoping for. I never really liked elk and I can smell those a few miles south of here._

**Sam: **_Happy hunting._

**Leah: **_Thanks._

Leah shifted on the ground, digging her claws in as she pushed herself up to her feet, padding softly through the trees towards the clearing. Sniffing the air, she smelled a faint sweet scent, not painful to her nose, but still not belonging to the woods.

"Hey Leah."

Jacob stood in the middle of the clearing; his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jeans', his eyes wary as he watched the gray wolf of his memories step out of the trees, her teeth gleaming in the moonlight as she snarled at him.

"You're alone?" Jacob moved a step closer then stopped as he watched Leah skip back a few steps.

Leah nodded her head as she watched him slowly sink to the ground, crossing his legs to sit Indian style. Sniffing the air to make sure he himself was alone, she moved a few steps closer before sinking to the ground herself, tucking her back legs under her to be ready to spring if needed.

"Thanks for meeting with me," Jacob moved his hand slowly to run his fingers through his hair, not wanting to scare an already obviously skittish Leah.

Rolling her eyes, Leah gave an impatient huff, wanting him to start his explanations for what he had done, as if he could really explain such an atrocity.

"Last time you saw me, I was passing over the pack to Sam to go to Italy after Annabelle," Jacob watched Leah cock her head to the side in a questioning manner, "My imprint."

Leah huffed again, wondering why he thought she would care what his imprint's name was.

"What I didn't tell you all was that five days before that, Annabelle came to tell me she was leaving to New Hampshire with the Cullens. She was hoping I would come along with her. I made it clear to her that I wasn't going to leave my pack for her."

Leah scoffed, a guttural bark expressing her disgust. Wouldn't leave the pack for her but he didn't have any problems with becoming one of them instead.

"Do you remember the Volturi? The Cullens mentioned them the day we took down the newborns."

Leah nodded her head, shifting her weight nervously. Jacob mentioning the newborn war reminded her that she owed him the courtesy of listening with an open mind…

"Well, Annabelle spent about a hundred plus years with them. She escaped three years ago and that's how she ended up with the Cullens. The day she told me she was leaving with the Cullens, one of the Volturi leaders, Aro, had come to Forks alone after her. He had this obsessive thing for Annabelle…she found out that day that he had been the one to create her, a secret he had kept from her for the many years she was with him. She destroyed him, set him on fire…and realized that she had brought the entire Volturi and their guard down on the Cullens…so she headed to Italy to face the Volturi alone."

Yes, yes, and that's when you decided to go after her, blah blah blah; please continue on, Leah thought to herself as she shifted her weight again, huffing impatiently at him.

"Long story short, I headed to Italy with the Cullens to rescue her…just as we had her and were ready to leave Voltura, the guard came down on us. Obviously, we fought, managed to take some of them down…but one of them, this big guy Edward said was named Demetri, got a hold of me. The damage was extensive…too extensive. I had a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen…basically, I was bleeding out faster than I was healing."

Leah huffed again, her eyes narrowing to slits as she tried to keep the image of a dying Jacob out of her head.

"Annabelle was there…she and Emmett were the ones that saved me, that got Demetri off me and destroyed him. I didn't want to leave her, not when I had finally admitted to myself that I needed her…so I asked her to change me. So I could continue to be with her."

Leah closed her eyes as she realized the sacrifice that Jacob had done to be with his imprint…becoming the very thing that he had once hated, had once dedicated himself to destroying. Could she really give him over to Sam for that?

"I know it's almost…unforgivable…me hoping that you wouldn't tell Sam about this. I don't want a war between the pack and us…even though I'm a vampire now, I still think of all of you as my brothers…and of course, you as my sister. I don't think I would be able to hurt you…but Annabelle is my family now. And if you come after her with the intent of destroying her for doing what I asked her to do, then I can't promise you that I won't stand in the way. I hope…I hope you understand enough to keep this to yourself, if you're able to."

Leah lowered her head, resting it on her paws as she watched Jacob rise to his feet, giving her one last pleading look before turning around and heading the opposite direction from where she had come from.

Closing her eyes, she slowly got to her feet, a heavy sigh escaping her as she turned around and moved into the trees, walking slowly to where she had left her clothes.

She understood what Jacob had done…he made sure to be with his imprint no matter what. She couldn't hold that against him, couldn't turn him over to Sam because he had chosen to do what the others that had imprinted would have also done.

She was definitely mellowing out if she was able to not only understand but actually empathize. Because she had to admit to herself that if she had been in Jacob's situation, she herself would have also done the same thing.

She sniffed the air as she got closer to the tree where she had stripped off her clothes, eyes widening as she noticed a large sandy colored wolf sniffing at her clothes. Shaking her head, she gave a small bark, knowing it wasn't Seth even though the color of the fur was a similar shade to his.

She grimaced internally as she noticed the wolf had been sniffing her red lace boy-cut underwear before lifting its big head to look at her.

Leah sucked her breath in as she looked into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Her heart seemed to stop as everything that mattered to her; everything that she felt made her who she was completely disappeared to be replaced with what she saw in those eyes.

Of all her fucken luck…she had imprinted on a wolf.

Imprinting…she had always hated the word and what came with it. Yet here she was, finally understanding. Before her was what defined Leah Diane Clearwater. Before her was her reason for living, her reason for breathing, her reason for being. She was looking into the very eyes of her soul.

Leah swallowed as a last thought moved through her head before the wolf moved towards her, its eyes dark with a purpose that Leah couldn't help but understand as she lowered herself to her stomach in a submissive manner.

Fate was a heartless bitch and she definitely hated Leah Clearwater.


	25. Chapter 24

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Rick groaned as he regained consciousness, grimacing as he slowly moved his muscles, finding them unusually sore and his very skin prickling with the pain of having spent the night sleeping on the forest ground.

He didn't mind the inability to control his transformations when night fell but one thing he always hated was the morning after a full moon…because he had to wait for another twelve hours to find out what had happened the night before.

Sighing, he started to push himself to a sitting position but froze when he realized there was a warm body lying next to him. Staring down at the sleeping dark skinned beauty next to him, he couldn't help but wonder what could have possibly happened the night before to have led to this.

Keeping his blue eyes on her, he moved slowly until he was resting on his side, once again wondering how she had come to be there…it's not like he had much of an opportunity of waking up to a one night stand…not when he spent all his nights on four legs instead of two.

Not only that, but it had been four long years since he had woken up with a woman next to him. Trying to ignore the aching pain in his heart that resulted from that fleeting thought, he focused on the sleeping girl next to him, his eyes narrowing at the nagging thought that he had seen her somewhere before…but why was she there, naked, sleeping next to him?

Shaking his head, he looked around the forest, shoving a hand into his tangled dark blond hair, tugging ruthlessly through the tangles as he spotted a small pile of clothes…evidently, hers since he always left his on a lounge chair in his backyard before the moon was high up on the sky.

Turning back to the girl, he encountered a pair of slanted brown-green eyes looking at him, a look on her face that he couldn't explain or even understand. He stayed there, leaning on his elbow, staring down into her heart shaped face, examining the high cheekbones, naturally arched dark eyebrows, long soot black eyelashes ringing the slightly slanted brown-green eyes that kept staring at him in that odd way, the subtle sheen of her cinnamon skin, his eyes finally landing on her lips, which were full and slightly parted.

Looking back into her eyes, he finally realized she was silently asking him to kiss her. He couldn't understand why she would join a naked stranger in the forest and couldn't help but wonder if she had a few screws loose in the head.

His eyes moved back to her mouth, watching as the tip of her tongue darted out to moisten her lips before he looked back into her eyes.

What was he doing, just lying here, staring at her when she so obviously wanted him to kiss her? He hadn't had sex in four years and he was actually contemplating asking her why she was here, offering herself to him?

To hell with that, he thought to himself as he lowered his head, his lips capturing hers in a possessive manner, a growl in the back of his throat when she tried to gain control of the kiss. It was one of his quirks; well, it was one of the quirks of the males of his kind, the need to be the one in control when it came to a sexual relationship…the Alpha over their mates.

Pushing himself away from the ground, he rolled over on top of her, his hands running over her hot skin as he continued to kiss her, his tongue exploring her mouth and demanding her submission.

When she sighed and gave in to him, he moved his mouth down her throat and towards her breasts, parting her legs with his knee and settling himself between them. He knew he was going fast and that the lack of foreplay may lead to her not getting anything out of this encounter, but it had been four years.

Four long years.

* * *

Leah couldn't stifle the moan that rose up her throat in response to what his hands and mouth were doing. His skin felt hot against hers, which was unusual, but what amazed her was how in tune she felt to him when she didn't even know his name.

The night before had been straight out of a nightmare, a body snatcher moment that she wanted to forget. When she woke up to find an actual man lying next to her, and felt that infernal pull when he turned those blue eyes towards her, she wanted nothing more than to have him make love to her, to replace the memory of last night with a new one.

She couldn't help the gasp of pain as he moved into her. It had been almost five years since she had been with a man and it seemed her body had to get accustomed once again to lovemaking.

Sliding her fingers into his blond hair, she pulled his head up and kissed him, pulling back when he growled at her before he took control of the kiss. Leah couldn't help but chuckle internally as she realized she had imprinted on a possible control freak.

How she hated Fate…if ever she ran into her, not only would she spit on her face, but she would make sure and kick her ass for landing her in this bizarre situation.

* * *

Jacob barked out a laugh as he spun around a couple of times before heading to a different direction, a russet blur followed by a white one which was Emmett as he ran after him.

They had decided to go out hunting deeper into the woods, with the hope of running into a bear or two.

Jacob barked another laugh as Emmett switched directions.

They had found their bears…

* * *

"Why don't you go on home," Jacob sat on the ground wearing a pair of cut off jeans he had tied to his ankle before they left the house, "I'll come later."

"You okay, man," Emmett ran his hand through his hair, making sure there weren't any twigs or leaves stuck in it…his bear had put up a good fight, "You've been somewhat down since you talked to Leah."

"Yeah, I'm alright," Jacob shrugged as he leaned his head against the big elm tree he was leaning on, "I just wish I knew if she's planning on telling Sam or not. Just to be ready, you know?"

"Jake, if Sam hears the story like you told it, I doubt he would blame you or Anna," Emmett looked down at his feet before bending over to tie his shoelaces, "He would probably do the same thing if it had been him and Emily in your place."

"I know, Em, but I can't depend on that happening," Jacob sighed as he closed his eyes, "If I were in Sam's place, I wouldn't hold anything back. The treaty's broken, that's pretty much it. And the deal was that when the treaty was broken, then war would happen."

"Good thing you're not the Alpha then because it sounds like you would have been a merciless bastard," Emmett laughed as Jacob chucked a stone at him, easily dodging it by stepping to the side, "I'll take off then. You sit here and be pessimistic and once you're done with that, go find Leah and ask her what she plans to do."

"Thanks, bro," Jacob grinned at him before standing up, watching as Emmett ran back towards the house, his grin slowly falling to be replaced by a frown.

He hated not knowing if Leah was going to tell Sam or not. It was crazy to him that his life and the life of his new family was on the hands of the one girl that Jacob remembered enjoyed being a bitch for the hell of it.

Tucking his hands into his jeans' pockets, he walked sightlessly through the forest, weaving in and out of trees, his mind on Leah and the damage that she alone could cause.

It was for that reason that he was able to pick up her scent, still lingering strong in the forest although it was mingled with another scent…moving quickly, he stripped off his shorts and tied them to his ankle before phasing, sniffing the air and moving silently through the trees.

What he encountered made him run cold then hot with fury as he bounded across the forest towards the man on top of Leah, his eyes quickly picking up on the way he held Leah's hands trapped over her head, his mouth moving in what appeared to Jacob as an abusive manner over hers.

Moving quickly, he rammed into the man, sending him flying across the small clearing until he hit a tree, sliding down to the ground with a look of shock and pain on his face as Jacob slowly stalked towards him, his teeth gleaming in the light as a growl built up inside him.

The bastard was going to die.

* * *

Leah couldn't believe what she was seeing. Jacob was before her, in wolf form. She had seen that russet wolf too many times to be mistaken but how was it possible?

The snarl that escaped Jacob's muzzle as he stalked closer to her imprint was what snapped her out of her shock, hot fire climbing up her back before she erupted in anger at Jacob for threatening her man.

Moving quickly, she rammed into Jacob's side, wincing at the hardness of his body, realizing that it was surprise alone that made him stumble before he turned on her, snarling as he rushed her.

Leah knew that he was acting on instinct alone as he crashed into her, sending her skidding across the forest floor and into the tree, pain exploding throughout her left side where contact had been made but she still couldn't help cussing him out, her snarls sharp and feral.

Yelping as she tried to get on her feet, she collapsed, glaring at Jacob as he slowly realized who she was.

* * *

Phasing quickly, Jacob pulled on his pants and moved towards Leah, recognizing the misshapen look of her wolf body. It looked like he had broken the bones on the left side of her body.

He ignored the blond man that simply sat against the tree, watching everything that was going on with wide eyes. Jacob kneeled next to Leah, briefly touching her side before pulling his hand back quickly when she snapped her teeth at him.

"Leah, you're going to have to phase," Jacob stared into her brown-green eyes, ignoring the gleaming teeth she was baring at him, "Carlisle won't be able to help you like this."

Growling at him, she shifted in the ground again, a whine escaping her at the excruciating pain she was feeling which Jacob remembered dimly. Staring at her snarling teeth, he knew she was cussing him out in her head, her anger making it hard for her to phase.

Shrugging his shoulders, he decided to do what Jared had done. It had, no matter how stupid and ridiculous, worked on him after all.

"Just imagine yourself at First Beach. It's early in the morning and you just finished running. The sun's slowly coming up, tainting the water with color, making the pebbles under your feet sparkle like jewels –"

"Shut the fuck up," Leah gasped as she moved to lean against the tree, staring down in horror at her arm and leg, her side hurting like hell, "Did you have to hit me that hard, you fucking bastard?"

"I'm sorry," Jacob quickly lifted her into his arms, wincing at her pain filled scream as he moved quickly out of the forest and towards the house, leaving behind the man that had been abusing her.

It galled him to leave the man alive but he wasn't worried because he recognized him…he knew exactly where to find him, "Even in wolf form, the vampire instinct is too strong. When you attacked me, I didn't think. I just reacted."

"Yeah, I got that," Leah groaned as the pain became too much for her, her eyes rolling back into her head as she passed out.


	26. Chapter 25

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

"So there we were at his house when I got this sudden urge to go snow sledding," Annabelle moved to rest her back against the couch where Edward and Alice were sitting, with Bella in the middle. Jasper sat on the floor, leaning against Alice's knees while Rosalie sat on the floor facing the couch, Emmett stretched out beside her with his head on her lap, "Now, mind you, it is the middle of August –"

"So there was no snow due to it being the hottest day of the year," Edward interrupted as he shifted around, pulling Bella closer to him.

"We were what, nine or ten?" Annabelle looked up at Edward in question who responded in a shrug, "Anyway, Eddie got the brilliant idea that we could do some sledding inside the house."

"You see, we had a three floor house and the staircase was a continuous one that had a landing to get to the second floor and then ended at the opening of the hallway into the third floor."

"Needless to say, it was a long staircase, which was awesome for banister sliding," Annabelle and Edward both laughed as they collectively remembered another memory, "So we ran up to the third floor –"

"Stripped off all the sheets off the mattress of the first guest bedroom we went into –"

"And placed it at the top of the staircase," Annabelle giggled as Edward shook his head in amusement. His memories of being human weren't as clear as Annabelle's but because he could look into her mind as she told her memories, he was finally able to see them and dimly remember them himself, "Eddie thought it would be best if we got a running start –"

"So we headed to the end of the hallway –"

"Counted to three and ran," Annabelle's grin grew as the others' smiles turned to grins, which she knew would soon be followed by laughter, "We hit the mattress at the same time, sending it flying down the stairs and just as we were about to hit the first floor, Kathy walked into the foyer."

"Kathy was our housekeeper," Edward laughed as he saw the look of horror and fright at seeing the mattress barreling towards her with the children hanging onto it for dear life in Annabelle's mind, "She let out a scream just as we hit the first floor, jumping out of the path of the mattress just as –"

"Eddie loses his grip on the mattress and goes flying through the floor to ceiling window next to the set of double doors and out to the front yard, landing on one of his mom's priced rosebushes."

"That was the only reason I didn't break my neck," Edward laughed along with the others as he reached out to tousle Annabelle's long hair, "I did, of course, have many cuts from the glass and not to mention the thorns of that damn rosebush."

"He's hated roses ever since," Annabelle moved her legs from their outstretched position, wrapping her arms around her bent knees, "Every time we were out in the front yard, he avoided the rosebushes, which made his mother glad…she couldn't bear the thought of more damage to her roses."

"Mom and Dad never punished me for that one," Edward leaned his head against Bella's, who had hers resting on his shoulder, "They were just glad I didn't break my neck."

"Did you tell them it was Annabelle's idea," Bella looked up into his eyes, her eyebrows arched over her large butterscotch colored eyes.

"No," Annabelle looked up at her, answering for Edward, "Edward never squealed. Besides, all I said was that I wanted to go sledding. Edward was the one that came up with the idea of mattress surfing down the stairs."

"So technically," Rosalie pushed Emmett's head off her lap before standing up, "It was all –"

"What the hell!" Alice exclaimed as she refocused on the group before her, jumping out of the couch just as Edward's head snapped up, turning to look towards the door.

"What," Annabelle moved quickly towards Alice along with Jasper as Edward pushed himself out of the couch, Bella following after him.

"Jacob disappeared," Alice's face was in a grimace as she turned her eyes to Annabelle, regretting being the cause of the look of fear that flitted through her eyes.

"He's coming towards the house," Edward reached out to reassuringly squeeze Annabelle's shoulder, "And he's not alone. Alice, get Carlisle on the phone. Jacob wants him here."

They all moved quickly just as Jacob's steps sounded on the porch, Annabelle running to the front door, pulling it open to let him in, her eyes wide as she took in an unconscious Leah in his arms.

"What the hell happened," Emmett stared at Jacob, his eyes wide, "I told you to just talk to her, not kidnap her."

"Emmett now's not the time," Jasper shook his head at his brother before turning to Jacob, "What happened?"

"He'll tell you after he sets Leah on the table," Edward motioned for Jacob to follow him into the dining room, pointing at the mahogany dining table that they used for games and of course, to serve as a prop, "Carlisle's on his way but he asked me to check out her injuries so I can give him a diagnosis as soon as he gets here."

"I can pretty much tell you that she's got a broken arm and leg," Jacob set Leah gently on the table before covering her with a blanket handed to him by Bella, "Other than that, I don't know. I found her in the woods…"

Edward hissed as he saw Jacob's thoughts, running his hands over Leah's chest and torso in a detached and clinical way, "I think she has some dislocated ribs and her arm and leg are going to have to be rebroken…they've started healing and the bones are out of alignment. I'll let Carlisle check for the rest."

Carlisle walked in followed by Esme just as Bella turned to ask Jacob "What was Leah doing in the woods?"

"We met last night," Jacob wrapped an arm around Annabelle's shoulders, his eyes never leaving Leah's unconscious face, "She came in wolf form. I left after we talked. I don't know what happened throughout the night. But this morning, after Emmett and I finished hunting, he headed back and I went for a walk, to think about stuff. That's when I smelled something strange, so I phased and followed the scent…I found Leah with a man on top of her. He had her hands trapped over her head and he was…"

Annabelle and Bella gasped as Rosalie closed her eyes, a snarl escaping her before she turned to glare at Jacob, "Did you kill the bastard?"

"I was about to…but Leah phased and got in the way. I didn't think…I just retaliated…rammed into her left side and well –"

"I'll give her morphine," Carlisle moved quickly over Leah, "She's unconscious but I will have to re-break the arm and leg bones to set them straight. She has two cracked ribs and three dislocated ones so once I am done aligning her limbs I'll tape her up. That should keep them in place for them to heal right."

"Hey Doc," Jacob couldn't help but grin as Carlisle turned to him, "Go easy on the morphine. Just because we burn it off doesn't mean we can't feel it. The amount you used on me left me feeling stoned for a good amount of hours afterwards."

Carlisle smiled at his newest son before turning towards Leah, filling the syringe with double the amount he normally used on a human before deftly sliding the needle into the crease of her arm.

He nodded at Edward as soon as the morphine invaded her system, moving towards her left arm as Edward moved to her left leg, "We might as well do both of them at the same time. On the count of three. One, two, three."

"Son of a fucking bitch!" Leah screamed, her eyes opening wide at the sudden pain before passing out again as her arm and leg were aligned and quickly placed on braces to keep them in place.

"Think she might have been referring to you, dog," Rosalie turned to give Jacob a smug look before turning her eyes back to Leah, a faint look of compassion on her face.

Jacob turned to reply to Rosalie's barb but stopped at the look on her face, deciding that now was not the time to poke fun at her when she was actually thinking of someone other than herself, even if it was just in passing.

"Okay, I got her all taped up," Carlisle moved the blanket back in place to cover up his patient, "Let's take her to your spare bedroom. I'm sure she'll be more comfortable on a bed."

"I'll take her," Jacob moved away from Annabelle and gently lifted his pack sister into his arms, turning to walk out of the dining room, stopping several feet down the hall to look at the crowd following him, "Not to be offensive or anything, but I think the less vampires in the spare bedroom, the better. I don't smell as bad as you all do to Leah so I'll go in alone."

"Right," Carlisle nodded his head as he remembered Jacob describing to him the pain that came with the smell of vampires, which was one of the first symptoms that developed in those that had the werewolf gene, "Let me know if she wakes up."

Jacob nodded, walking down the hallway and into the spare bedroom, placing Leah on the bed before he moved towards all the windows, opening them to let in fresh air and help ventilate the room.

He stared at her for a few more seconds, watching her sleep before he walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

* * *

Rick finally broke through the woods, limping across his backyard and towards the back door of his little two bedroom house, which was ensconced deep into the woods, giving him the isolation he needed during the nights.

Wincing as he bent down to pick up the clothes he had left on the lounge chair, he opened his back door and headed straight towards the bathroom, dropping the clothes into the hamper.

Normally, he kept to his backyard every night after transforming, choosing to stay out of the woods altogether. Unfortunately, during the full moons, he lost all human sense, simply acting on wolf instinct and the woods called to the wolf within him.

This morning wasn't the first time the inability to think as a human on the full moons had gotten him into trouble…it was, though, the first time it had led him to a morning filled with strange situations and even stranger observations.

Stepping into the shower, he stood there and let the hot water pound against his back, relaxing his sore muscles but aggravating the bruises caused by being slammed into a tree.

He shook his head, pushing his wet hair out of his face. He was still in shock at what he had seen with his own eyes. Even in pain and shock at the sudden turn of events, he still remembered clearly the image of a horse sized wolf transforming into Jacob Black, his Greek Philosophy student. As if that weren't shocking enough, the girl he had been copulating with had also transformed into a wolf, and although she was smaller than Jacob Black, she had gotten in the way just as Jacob Black was about to go in for the kill.

Rick scrubbed his body with a washcloth and soap, realizing that he would have died if it hadn't been for the girl. He couldn't understand, though, why she had done that.

"Leah," he murmured as he lathered up his hair before sticking his head into the hot spray of water. He now knew her name…now he needed to know how she ended up beside him this morning and why she had saved him…not to mention how the hell she turned into a wolf at will.

But also, Jacob Black…his Cullen sibling of interest. He had been so sure that Jacob Black was just like the other Cullens even if his smell and color were a little off from the usual, but now, he wondered if his assumptions had been correct.

After all, a vampire couldn't turn into a wolf.

That was an oxymoron…

And it was simply impossible.


	27. Chapter 26

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good __As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I spoil y'all considering that I don't get enough reviews or even the blonde jokes I requested. Anyway, here are the next five chapters to this story. It's starting to get intense in my head and unless I find out how y'all are receiving it, Leah and Rick may end up shutting their mouths forever, thus making me stop. Please remember...a writer's sustenance is their readers' thoughts and reactions to what is being presented.**

**I love all those who review!!!**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Jacob breathed in deep as he shifted on the burgundy couch he was laying on, Annabelle in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, her forehead pressed against the side of his neck.

Sliding his hand down her arm, he twined his fingers with hers as he slid his other hand around her waist and under her shirt to rest on her flat stomach.

"Is it my turn," he whispered into her ear, smiling at the shiver that ran throughout her body.

Turning her luminous golden eyes towards him, she smiled at the look of satisfaction on his face, "Yes. I did last night's. Remember?"

"Oh yes," Jacob chuckled as he recalled Annabelle's "dream."

Ever since Jacob lost the ability to sleep, therefore losing the ability to dream, he and Annabelle had been dedicating an hour a day to what they called their "nap time." They used the hour to create and share a dream with one another which usually involved each other.

Needless to say, the "nap time" hour was followed by several hours out in the woods.

"We're at the beach," he began his "dream," his lips brushing against her ear, "It's the middle of the night and the moon's high up in the dark sky. You're slowly walking out of the ocean and you look like a goddess, with the waves crashing around you and the moonlight making you shimmer. You push your hair back, away from your face and behind your shoulders and drops of water are rolling down your body and I want nothing more than to follow their path with my fingers."

Annabelle sighed as her body slowly warmed at the images created by Jacob's words, watching intently as Jacob played with her hand, his fingers moving around hers, in between and over them. The sight of their hands intertwining and moving around each other was as erotic as the image in her head that Jacob continued painting.

"You walk closer to me, the moon moving over you like a lover. I fall to my knees and I want to worship you like you deserve but instead, you get down on your knees before me. You press your hands on either side of my face and softly lay your lips against mine. You taste like ambrosia and I reach out and wrap my arms around you, pulling you closer into my arms, my heart beating so hard I think it's going to explode. You whisper into my mouth and the words you say give me a new understanding. Everything I know about myself and the world ceases to matter and only you, in my arms, become the one important thing in my life. Nothing else matters as I pull you down to the soft warm sand to lie next to me. You keep whispering the same words over and over again, and I believe them every single time as I slowly touch you, worshiping you with my hands and my mouth and my body. You are my goddess, my very soul, the one that I adore and the words you keep saying are the very air that I breathe."

"What am I saying," Annabelle closes her eyes as Jacob continues to play with her hand, the fingers of his other hand tracing tiny circles against her stomach that cause her to quiver with pleasure along with the movement of his moving lips against the shell of her ear.

Jacob smiled as he looked at her, his eyes tracing the features of her face before looking down at her body resting on top of his, his legs resting on either side of her hips. She was wearing a short denim skirt with a pale yellow halter top, her tiny feet bare along with her long legs.

She was absolutely gorgeous and he was definitely ready for them to head out to the woods.

"You keep saying –"

"JACOB FUCKING BLACK!!!"

"Leah's awake," Jacob grimaced as Annabelle bolted into a sitting position, the erotic atmosphere that had surrounded them completely shattering.

"I hate her already," Annabelle muttered as Jacob moved out of the couch, following behind him as he walked out of their room on the third floor and down the stairs to the first floor guest bedroom where Leah had been placed.

They turned into the hallway to find that the others in the house were already waiting outside her door, which was opened to reveal Carlisle standing beside the bed where Leah laid.

"Don't fucking touch me, you bloodsucking leech!" Leah scooted towards the opposite side of the bed and away from Carlisle, sucking in a breath at the pain that the jarring motion caused to shoot across her ribs.

"Leah, calm down," Jacob entered the room to stand beside Carlisle, resting a hand on his shoulder in silent apology.

"Don't tell me to calm down," Leah glowered at him, grabbing the blanket that covered her as heat shot up her face…she just realized that she was still naked, "What the fuck am I doing here?"

"I brought you here to have Carlisle look you over," Jacob crossed his arms over his chest, "I didn't think you wanted me to leave you out in the woods after what happened with that guy."

"It wasn't that guy that broke my entire left side, it was you, you fucking psycho," Leah snapped at him, looking around to see if her clothes were anywhere nearby…she wanted to get the hell out of this place, "Where the fuck are my clothes?"

"I didn't bring them," Jacob shrugged his shoulders, taking a step to the side to block Annabelle from Leah's sight…her shaking didn't bode well for any of them, "I was a little too concerned about the guy that raped you, then about your injuries to worry about your clothes."

"The guy that –what the fuck are you talking about," Leah gaped up at him, her breathing coming fast and erratic, her body shaking in rage and fear, "And why the fuck can't I phase?"

"Jasper may have something to do with that," Jacob looked over his shoulder at Jasper, who nodded in agreement before he looked back at Leah, "You might want to calm down on your own though. Phasing would just make your injuries worst."

"How long have I been here," Leah looked out the window to see that the sky was darkening, the setting sun hiding behind heavy clouds.

"Two days," Carlisle answered as he continued to assess Leah from afar, "Your leg and arm, as well as the broken ribs, should be completely healed by now but I think your displaced ribs may still be healing."

"Displaced ribs," Leah shook her head as she turned to glare at Jacob, "Did you have to hit me that hard?"

"You shouldn't have gotten in the way," Jacob shrugged again, not caring about Leah's feelings when she was in such a bitchy mood.

"You were going to kill him," Leah muttered as she looked out the window again, her eyes staring at something the others couldn't see.

"Yes, I was."

"Why?"

Jacob's eyebrows lowered as he looked into Leah's slanted brown-green eyes, unsure of what had really happened out in the woods for the first time, "Because he was…raping…you?"

"Where the hell did you get that idea from," Leah's eyes narrowed as she stared at Jacob, trying to recall what exactly she and her imprint were doing to make Jacob think rape.

"He was…holding your hands over your head," Jacob's eyebrows lowered as he looked at Leah's face filling with incredulity, "And the way he was kissing you –why the hell would you be having consensus sex with a complete stranger?"

"That's really none of your business, now is it," Leah took a deep breath, grimacing at the pain in her ribs and the even sharper pain in her nose at the heavy scent of vampire in her room.

"I suppose not," Jacob took a step back, wondering at how much Leah could have changed since the last time he had seen her, "I just didn't think you were the kind of girl that slept around with men she didn't know the names of."

"Apparently, you're forgetting Sam and Emily's wedding," Leah muttered, her eyes glued to the view displayed by the windows, "Think you can talk the rest of your coven into getting out of the room? I feel like I'm snorting bleach."

"Of course," Carlisle nodded at the rest of his family and walked to follow them out of the room, his fingers wrapping around Annabelle's wrist to pull her out with them, certain that Leah would appreciate talking to Jacob alone, "Feel free to stay as long as you need. Alice picked up your belongings from the motel you were staying at along with your car."

"I have clothes here," Leah looked up into his eyes, the compassion she saw in them unsettling her in a way she couldn't understand.

"Yes," Carlisle ushered Annabelle out of the room before him, "In the closet. Jacob, I'll be in the living room with everyone else. Let me know if she needs anything."

"Thanks Carlisle," Jacob smiled at him before turning his eyes to Annabelle, giving her a look filled with such deep desire she had to look away but not before she smiled at him in response.

The door closing softly behind them, Jacob turned to look at Leah, wondering what the hell to say.

"You didn't go after him, did you," Leah looked away from the window and into Jacob's odd honey colored eyes.

"Haven't had a chance," Jacob shrugged again as he moved away from the bed to lean against the doorframe, "The sun's been out the last two days."

"Not to mention you wouldn't know where to find him," Leah murmured, a heavy sadness weighing her voice and causing her shoulders to drop as she pushed herself into a sitting position, still holding the blanket in place.

"Oh, I know where to find him," Jacob muttered darkly, turning his eyes away from the window to catch Leah's look of shock and…was that hope?

"You know who he is," Leah asked, trying to sound casual but failing as her heart sped up with the idea of knowing his name.

"Yes, I do," Jacob cocked his head to the side, trying to figure out the strange look on Leah's face, "He's one of the professors at Dartmouth. He was the one you ran into the last time you were there."

"Oh," Leah let out her breath as she recalled the pull she had felt the further she walked away…it was the same pull that Sam had felt before he followed her into the living room to talk to Emily. Leah remembered the feeling and strength of it from his memories.

She swore as she realized if she had looked into his face, she wouldn't have been able to walk away…and what had happened the night before wouldn't have occurred.

"Oh, Fate, you heartless bitch," she whispered under her breath before focusing on Jacob again, "What's his name? Where's he from? What does he teach?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Jacob laughed as he held out his hands to stop Leah's questions, "First of all, why do you need to know all this?"

"Should it be any of your business," Leah sneered at him as she looked around the room, finally locating the open closet and seeing her clothes hanging on the rod. Damn vampires and their hospitable ways.

"Well, considering that I saved you –"

"Saved me from what," Leah stood up, quickly wrapping the blanket around her toga style before heading to the closet, "He wasn't raping me so really, what you did, was interrupt what was quickly turning into amazing sex. So you at least owe me his name."

"Fine, whatever," Jacob shrugged as he looked out the window while she walked into the closet, grabbing the first pair of jeans and t-shirt she touched, quickly pulling them on, "His name's Frederick R. Laskaris. He moved to New Hampshire from Greece about three or four years ago. He teaches Greek Language, Philosophy and History."

"Frederick," Leah murmured to herself as she walked out of the closet in time for Jacob to see the look on her face.

"Ah shit," Jacob shoved his fingers through his hair as he pushed himself away from the wall, "You imprinted on him, didn't you?"

"Well," Leah looked away from Jacob as she pulled open the first dresser drawer to find her socks and underwear…she now wished she had looked in there first considering that she had been in such a hurry to get dressed she was now going commando, "It's kind of difficult to say. I mean, he wasn't exactly a he when I met him last night."

"Come again," Jacob's eyebrows lowered in confusion as Leah sat on the bed, pulling on socks, sucking her breath in as she bent at the waist…dislocated ribs hurt like a bitch.

"Well, he's sort of one of us," Leah looked up at Jacob, wondering why the hell she was telling him this, "You know…a werewolf."

"Then why didn't he phase to protect himself when I attacked," Jacob moved away from the door to walk across the room towards the window, looking out into the night.

"I don't know," Leah grabbed her shoes and pulled them on, "All I know is that he was in wolf form when I first saw him…I was doing my best not to freak out at the fact that I had just imprinted on a wolf. Believe me; I was ecstatic when I woke up to find out that he was, in fact, a human man."

"I bet you were," Jacob chuckled as he turned away from the window to watch Leah tie her shoelaces, "Where are you going?"

"I'm getting out of here," Leah looked up at him, running her fingers through her tangled hair, "Not to be offensive or anything, but staying here in the Cullen crypt kind of gives me the chills."

"It's late Leah," Jacob shoved the windows open before walking towards the door, "Just spend the night here. Besides, we both know that you're just going to go out and try to find your imprint. And I don't know where he lives. But I do know that he's teaching Philosophy tomorrow…and I'm in that class."

Leah sat still as Jacob walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, taking for granted that she would stay. Sighing, she pushed herself to her feet and walked towards the open window, breathing in deep the clean forest smell that came with the cool breeze.

Frederick…she wondered if he preferred Fred or Rick…or maybe Frederick. Frederick. It sure was a mouthful.

She hated staying here with the Cullens but she knew that was what she was going to do. At least until she figured out how to meet Frederick face to face.

Frederick R. Laskaris. Oh, how she hated Fate for this aching need in her to be with him again.

* * *

"She's staying," Edward answered Jacob's unspoken question as soon as he walked in, heading straight to the armchair where Annabelle was sitting, easily picking her up to take her place and sit her on his lap.

"Did you tell them about Professor Laskaris," Jacob asked Edward before nuzzling Annabelle's neck, breathing in her mouthwatering scent.

"I knew there was something weird about that guy," Emmett spoke up although his eyes were glued to the television screen, "He always stared at us funny. Think he knows what we are?"

"He knows," Edward looked up from Bella's hands moving across the piano keys, "And he's not the same as any of the pack. The Quilette wolves are shape-shifters…Laskaris actually phases with the stages of the moon."

"Is he a Child of the Moon," Annabelle looked away from Jacob towards Edward, watching him watch Bella.

"Not in the sense of what Caius fears," Edward moved his hand over his wife's to correct the last few notes, "They don't reproduce through venom like the true Children of the Moon."

"How do they reproduce," Alice moved away from the back windows, arms crossed over her chest, her eyebrows lowered in consternation.

"They procreate," Edward turned to look at his family, a smile on his face, "Just like any human being. I don't know the specifics of it; he hasn't exactly thought them out. But I do know he's the last one of his kind."

"Did you say he was from Greece," Annabelle pushed herself out of Jacob's arms as she recalled something, Edward's eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Yes…from a small town near Athens. What are you remembering, Annie?" Edward and Bella moved away from the piano bench, joining the rest of the family in the sitting area of the living room, Emmett turning the television off as they all turned to Annabelle.

"The year before I left Voltura, Aro came to me," Annabelle moved deeper into Jacob's arms, feeling safe when he wrapped them tighter around her, "He told me that the Volturi and their entire guard were heading to Greece. I was going to stay behind, locked in my room. He didn't say at that time why they were leaving but when they returned, the entire guard celebrating in success, he shared with me what had happened."

They all stared at Annabelle, unaware that Leah was around the corner, leaning against the wall, listening intently to Annabelle's words.

"Someone had come to Caius, telling him that there was a community of werewolves that lived near the shores of Greece. As you all know, Caius is afraid of werewolves because one almost finished him off. Ever since then, he's been on a mission to exterminate all werewolves. This informant brought with him much information, among it the good news that these particular werewolves only phased at night.

"This was good news because it meant that the Volturi could attack during the day without threat of losing any of their own. It made me sick the way Aro sounded exultant as he told me how the guard completely wiped out an entire community; men, women, young and old. None of them had the ability to defend themselves…during the day they were as helpless as any human being. When Aro saw the look of horror on my face, he tried to justify their actions by saying they had waited until the morning after, to make sure that these were indeed the werewolves they had been told about. It turned out that all of them are able to transform into wolves at night."

"There's more, isn't there," Edward's eyebrows lowered in anger at what went through Annabelle's mind.

"Yes," Annabelle turned to look into Jacob's eyes, reaching out to gently touch his cheek, "Aro was curious to find out what would happen if one of these werewolves was bitten by a vampire. He took a few of them captive, brought them to Voltura and had them placed in the dungeons. After convincing Caius that this would be a worthy experiment, the possibility of creating a hybrid among these werewolves, he began experimenting. He waited until it was night, and the men he had captured, ten in all, were in their wolf form. He had three of them chained down before the moon came up because in their wolf forms, they were a definite threat to the guard. All three of those were bitten…two of them died, one remained in his wolf form after three days, so he was disposed of.

"Then, Aro decided to see if it would be best to turn them in their human form…he tried that with the next three…at the end of the three days, they were all vampires but when the moon came, they didn't transform. Since they didn't have any special gifts, Aro had them disposed of as well. By this time, Caius was warming up to the idea of a hybrid vampire…he thought that a vampire that was also a werewolf would be indestructible so he joined Aro in theorizing what would work.

"They decided to bite the next three just before they transformed…I still remember how their screams filled the castle and echoed throughout the plaza. It was truly a horrific sound. Aro told me that didn't work…they had been frozen in between changing shapes…so they too were disposed of."

"What happened to the last one," Bella asked softly, her eyes moving towards Jacob, realizing what would happen if Caius ever heard of Jacob's existence.

"As it turned out, the last one had been the Alpha of the pack," Annabelle moved to sit sideways on Jacob's lap, her arms tightening around his waist as she shuddered, "Aro had saved him for his last attempt…transform him at the full moon. The informant that had brought the werewolves to the Volturi's attention had told them that it was during the full moon when these werewolves lost all sense of their humanity and simply became wolves…it is during this time when they are most dangerous to vampires because their fighting is not hindered by human thoughts and calculations but simply guided by instinct."

"What happened to him," Emmett repeated Bella's questions, watching how Annabelle buried her face into Jacob's throat, her voice soft as she continued to evade their question.

"Caius was obsessed by the idea of a vampire-werewolf hybrid that he decided he would be the one to turn the Alpha at the full moon, making sure to pick his strongest guard members to be there as his protection despite the fact that they would chain down the man before he transformed at the full moon."

"Anna," Jacob tucked his hand under her chin to force her to look at him, able to see the sheen of her eyes, knowing that if she were able to she'd be crying, "What happened to the Alpha?"

Annabelle took a deep breath, unable to look away from Jacob's eyes, fear in her heart as she realized that if Caius ever found out about Jacob's ability to phase despite being a vampire he would be taken away from her.

Blinking, she reached out to touch his face, her fingers tracing his brow, his cheekbone, down to his jaw before whispering softly:

"He killed himself the night before the full moon. He rammed his head onto the wall until his brain was nothing but mulch. He wasn't much use to them after that. But Caius is still obsessed with the idea of a vampire-werewolf hybrid. He's been trying ever since without success."


	28. Chapter 27

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Sorry it took me so freakin' long! I moved from Waco to El Paso, headed to school, got a new job, etc. etc. etc. Basically, life happened and continues to happen. I will try to be more prompt but no promises! I have plans that I am putting in motion, which means a stringent schedule for it to happen. Thank y'all for stickin' with me and this story. It will get amazingly good in a few chapters, I promise. Enjoy and continue to review!**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Rick couldn't pay attention to what he was saying. He felt slightly glad he had taught this class many times before, therefore having the lesson memorized to be able to spout it off without having to concentrate.

Instead, he kept looking over to where Jacob Black and Edward Cullen were sitting along with the Causley twins. He couldn't help but wonder if Jacob knew where he could find Leah.

He had been able to remember the night of the full moon the night after and was absolutely appalled at what had happened, even though he hadn't had any control over the entire situation. He had to talk to Leah, apologize and explain…

Glancing at his watch, he noticed with some relief that there were five minutes left, deciding to dismiss them early.

The students responded with loud cheers as they quickly grabbed their books and backpacks, hurrying out of the class before he changed his mind.

"Mr. Black," Rick continued to erase the whiteboard, knowing that Jacob Black and his siblings were still in the classroom, "I would like to speak with you."

Once he finished erasing the board, he put down the eraser and turned to find Jacob, along with Annabelle, Edward and Isabelle, standing in a row before his desk.

He couldn't help raise his eyebrow in surprise, wondering if it were feasible to request a private meeting with Jacob Black. He noticed a smile on Edward's face and turned in time to see him shake his head in the negative, making him feel uncomfortable as the sudden thought that Edward Cullen was able to read his mind popped into his head. Edward's nod to his random suspicion confirmed that yes; Edward Cullen was a mind-reading vampire. Just great.

"I was hoping to clear up a misunderstanding with you," he turned to Jacob, ignoring the low chuckle coming from Edward.

"No need," Jacob stood still before the desk, holding Annabelle's hand in his, his other one stuffed into the pocket of his faded jeans, "My friend did that for you."

"How is…your friend," Rick looked away as he shifted the books on his desk, trying hard not to think about what he had remembered concerning the night of the full moon. He didn't think Leah would appreciate him giving the gory details to Edward who would probably tell the rest of his family.

"She's fine," Jacob kept his eyes on Rick, watching him turn slightly red as he shoved books and papers into his briefcase. Looking at Edward out of the corner of his eyes, he frowned in response to Edward shaking his head. Apparently, the professor was blocking his thoughts.

"Is she still…around?"

Rick looked up to see Jacob tilting his head to the side and knew that the uncertainty he felt had come out in the question he had asked.

"Why don't you come over to our place for dinner," Edward spoke up, his odd yellow eyes expressing sincerity, "She'll be there…and we can all talk about…things that are better kept in private conversation and not in an open classroom."

Rick stared at Edward before turning to look at the rest of his siblings, able to see a hint of compassion on Isabelle's face, outright pity on Annabelle's and a curiously blank look on Jacob.

"I can't be there after dark," Rick closed his briefcase, wondering why he felt he could trust these particular vampires, "But I would like to meet with all of you…now that we know of each other's existence."

"Come after your Greek Language class," Annabelle spoke up, ignoring the stern look that Jacob gave her, "That's at least five hours before nightfall."

"Alright," Rick nodded is head in agreement, wondering if he was walking into a trap.

"Here's directions to our place," Edward handed him a piece of paper, which Rick took, surprised at how quickly that had been produced, "And no, it's not a trap."

Rick watched them walk away, hoping he hadn't just made a mistake but the possibility of seeing Leah and apologizing for what had happened during their first encounter was too great to ignore.

Rick couldn't help chuckling as he looked down at the directions written on a piece of notebook paper. He had spent all his life avoiding vampires during the day and now here he was, willingly taking an invitation to meet with an entire coven of them five hours before he could become lethal.

Apparently, being the last of his kind had addled his brains.

* * *

"What do you mean, he's coming here," Leah stared in shock at Jacob, completely oblivious to the others.

"Just that –he's coming here," Jacob gave Leah a look of feigned patience, "He apparently wants to talk to you about something concerning the night you were with him and we need to establish some ground rules with him since he knows what we all are."

"You couldn't have asked me?" Leah's voice rose to a high pitch as she rushed into the bathroom to look herself over.

"Sorry, I don't carry a cell phone," Jacob muttered darkly before he turned to walk out of the room, "I'll let you know when he gets here that way you won't have to suffer our presence longer than necessary."

Leah ignored the bitterness in Jacob's voice, pulling a brush through her hair, wondering if she should change…would it matter? After all, the last time he had seen her, she hadn't had any clothes on at all.

* * *

Rick took a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair, wondering as to how he would be received by the group of vampires inside the house before him.

Opening the car door, he stepped outside, looking up at the sky, frowning as he realized he only had five hours before sunset.

Walking up the porch steps, he tugged at his shirt collar before reaching out to knock on the door.

"I would normally say that you don't have to knock but since, well," Alice wrinkled her nose as she stepped aside to let him in, "I know they say not to invite vampires into your home but since there's nothing concerning inviting werewolves so…come on in."

"Thank you," Rick gave Alice a small smile as he stepped inside, swallowing hard as he encountered a living room filled with the rest of the Cullen family. Normally, he wasn't afraid of being outnumbered by vampires but that was usually when he was on all fours.

"Professor Laskaris," Edward nodded at Rick before pointing towards the dining room, "Please come into the dining room and meet our parents."

"Parents," Rick gave Edward a look of confusion before heading into the dining room, "I…didn't think you had parents."

"We'll explain what's necessary."

It really was strange, being surrounded by vampires when he was most vulnerable, but for some reason, he was feeling oddly at ease…and in a trusting mood. That seemed stranger still.

"Carlisle, Esme," Edward stepped forward to do the introductions as everyone else took a seat around the oak dining table, "This is Professor Frederick Laskaris."

"A pleasure to meet you Professor," Carlisle gestured at the empty chair at the foot of the table, "Please, take a seat."

Rick sat down and watched as the rest of the Cullens took their obviously assigned seats, all of them with a blank expression on their faces, not giving away anything concerning the conversation that would be taking place.

Taking a deep breath, Rick steeled himself for whatever would be revealed, wondering if it would have any impact on his own personal plans concerning this coven of vampires.

* * *

Leah leaned against the wall, eyes closed, her jaw clenched as she held herself back from going into the dining room where her imprint was surrounded by vampires. It physically hurt to have him in the middle of a group of deadly enemies.

Taking a deep breath, she winced as her nose burned. Turning away from the dining room, trusting that the Cullens wouldn't hurt him or at least, Jacob would prevent anything from happening to him.

She walked down the hall into her room and climbed out the window, taking in a deep breath of fresh air.

She knew where he was –in the dining room with the vampires –and as long as he stayed there for a while –crazy to trust Jacob to make sure nothing would happen to him but trust him she did –she wanted to get some fresh air, clear her mind.

She wasn't sure what would happen next. Should she tell him about the whole imprinting mess? Should she ask about what had happened that night of the full moon?

No, that was the last thing she wanted to mention. She wanted to find a way to erase that night from her memory, from her very history. But no, she was going to have to live with it.

"Hello."

Her head snapped around, her eyes widening as Rick approached her slowly.

"Hi," she licked her lips, her stomach tightening in nervousness.

"We, uh…haven't been introduced," Rick's blue eyes moved over her before returning to her face, "I'm Frederick…you can call me Rick."

Leah couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her as she shifted against the tree she had been leaning on, "A little late for that, don't you think?"

"About the night we met," he moved closer to her, his fingers moving absentmindedly through his dark blond hair, "It was a full moon…I wasn't exactly all there, if you know what I mean."

"Annabelle explained something along the lines of that…not knowing what you were doing, I mean. But I really don't want to talk about it."

"Alright," Rick leaned against a tree near her, his blue eyes locked on her face, "Can we talk about what happened the morning after?"

"I'm sorry…Jacob shouldn't have done what he did…he thought that, well…it doesn't matter what he thought. There's really no need for us to talk about it."

"Leah, I'm just…curious…" Rick took a deep breath, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "I mean…You didn't have much choice about the night before…but yesterday morning…if you can phase at will, why were you still there?"

Leah sucked on her teeth, looking away from him, wondering how much she could tell him. She knew Jacob wouldn't have mentioned her imprinting on him, it wasn't his place, but what could she say to explain her reasons for staying after the hell that had been the night they met?

"I…I guess I wanted to…to see…to make sure that you were a man…I mean…ugh, I don't know what to say," Leah buried her face in her hands, her hair swinging forward as she hunched her shoulders, feeling embarrassed and slightly ashamed at her brazen behavior.

Rick reached out and touched her shoulder, his muscles tightening with a sudden onslaught of lust and possessiveness. Pulling his hand back, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself despite his body's insistence to jump her and claim her as his own, which in a sense he'd already done two nights ago.

He opened his eyes to find her slanted brown-green eyes studying him, her arms crossed over her stomach as she shifted closer to him. There was a look in her eyes, an unexplainable emotion that made him slightly nervous as he leaned in closer.

Without thought, he reached out and cupped the back of her neck, his fingers tangling with silky hair as he pulled her towards him, his mouth brushing over hers before settling over it, his tongue demanding access.

Leah couldn't help opening for him, fisting her hands on his shirt as she melted into his body, her senses humming in a familiar yet exciting way she hadn't ever felt, even with Sam.

"Rick," she moaned as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a tighter fit against his body, "I don't…I don't think we should be doing this. Not until we know each other better."

Rick moved his mouth down to her throat, his tongue moving over her skin, taking in her taste along with her scent. She was absolutely delicious, "I know enough about you to be doing this."

"What do you know about me," Leah murmured as she dropped her head back, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the feel of his mouth against her collarbone.

"I know you respond to me in a primal level," he said against the skin of her shoulder, which he had exposed by tugging down the neck of her black t-shirt, "I know you're the only female werewolf of your pack…although, technically, you're just a shape shifter."

"So I've been told," she sighed as he slid his hand under her t-shirt to stroke the skin of her back.

"I know you're running away from something that has hurt you…really bad," he brushed her hair back to expose the skin behind her ear, "I know you're looking for freedom from the pain you carry around with you."

"How do you know all this," she whispered as she pulled back, her eyes searching his face, "What did Jacob tell you about me?"

"Nothing personal," Rick stared down into her eyes, his hands still under her t-shirt, his fingers moving in slow circles against the hot silk of her back, "Except for saying you were a part of the pack he had once belonged to and that he would tear me limb from limb if I hurt you in any way. I don't see how I could, though, since we don't know each other."

Leah tried not to react to that last statement as she stepped away from him, pushing his hands away. "Well, I suppose I should be glad that's all he said. But don't worry about him hurting you for any reason. I can very well take care of myself."

"Leah," Rick let out a heavy sigh as he shoved his fingers into his blond hair, "I'm sorry if I offended you. It wasn't my intention, I just…I haven't been able to stop thinking about the last time I saw you. I keep seeing you, begging me to kiss you."

"Begging…" Leah's eyes widened in horror, "I never said anything to you."

"Your mouth may not have said anything," Rick reached out to brush a finger down her smooth cheek, "But your eyes said it all."

"I…Rick, this is going way too fast," Leah took a deep breath, stuffing her shaking hands into the front pockets of her jeans.

"I kind of like that," Rick rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip.

"You do?"

"Yeah," Rick pulled her close to rub his lips over hers before whispering, "I do."

Leah couldn't deny him anything, despite the fact that she had a bad feeling about doing this his way.

"Okay."


	29. Chapter 28

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I know...this one is a tad bit more graphic than most in the Leah/Rick moments, but I couldn't help it...that's the way it turned out. Hope y'all enjoy and keep reading! I'll keep writing and updating as much as possible.**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

_Two weeks later_

Leah rang the bell, calling out to the short-order cook "Two double cheeseburgers, extra fries on one and an order of chili cheese fries."

"Coming up."

Turning away from the order window, she grabbed the coffee pot and moved around the counter to fill coffee cups before moving on to the back booth new customers had commandeered.

"Why do you insist on coming here if you don't eat?"

Jacob looked up from the diner menu and smiled at Leah, "Because we have to look as normal as possible. This place is becoming pretty popular and since we fall under that definition as well, we might as well come and keep up appearances."

"Not much of a conceited egomaniac, are ya," Leah poured coffee into the four coffee cups on the table, "Is it just you four or the rest of your coven coming?"

"Careful with that word, Lee," Jacob leaned back into the booth, draping an arm over Annabelle's shoulders, "Someone might take you seriously. And yes, the others will be here momentarily."

"The others will be here momentarily," Leah mimicked as she dragged an empty table towards the booth, quickly snagging four empty chairs and coffee cups, "Shish, Jake, you sound like such a pansy ass. What food do you guys want to throw away today?"

"Double cheeseburgers with extra fries all around," Edward placed the menus at the end of the table, "And large cokes."

"Alright," Leah scribbled the order into the waitress pad she had pulled out of her apron, "They'll be ready by the time the other four get here. Please try not to cause any problems."

"We don't cause problems," Jacob tucked Annabelle closer to him as he reach out under the table to kick a glowering Edward, "It's not as if we asked those assholes to come over and hit on our girls last time we were here."

"Next time something like that happens, I swear to God I will ban all of you from the diner," Leah muttered under her breath as she headed back to the counter to give the order to the cook.

"She's been working here for two weeks and she's already head waitress," Jacob shook his head as he playfully flipped a sugar packet at Bella, "Last time I saw her she was a receptionist at the rez clinic…I don't get how she's such an accomplished waitress."

"She worked at a diner in Ames, Iowa for two months," Edward flipped through his anatomy book, his voice flat with boredom, "She enjoyed it."

"Interesting," Jacob stretched before pulling Annabelle close enough to nuzzle her neck.

"Stop that," Edward growled without looking up, making an annotation on Bella's notebook where she was attempting an essay on Edgar Allen Poe.

"You know what," Jacob flipped a sugar packet at Edward's face, frowning in dismay when Edward caught it in midair before it hit him, "You concentrate on your girl and let me concentrate on mine, okay?"

"He, he," Emmett pulled out a chair next to Jacob, "Sounds like Edward's annoying you with the big brother thing."

"Always," Jacob reached out to bump his fist against Emmett's, "How's it going buddy?"

"Swell," Emmett threw his arm onto the back of Rosalie's chair, "My advisor tried to talk me into declaring my major in mathematics."

"Mathematics," Jacob raised an eyebrow, "What the hell would you do with that?"

"Does it really matter," Emmett shrugged as he slouched down on his chair, "I haven't gotten that particular degree but I'm not sure I want to be working with numbers for the next two years."

"You can always do engineering," Annabelle piped up, twisting a straw around her fingers.

"Been there, done that," Emmett reached across Jacob to pop the straw between Annabelle's fingers, "Unlike my other siblings, I like trying out different majors instead of staying stuck on the same one."

"Just major in German," Jasper spoke up as he looked away from Alice, "You don't have that one on your resume."

"True, true," Emmett grinned up as Leah reached the table, passing out plates with huge double cheeseburgers, golden fries and large glasses of coke, "How's the wolf girl doing?"

"Well enough to want to rip out your throat," Leah gave him a tight smile as she continued passing out the plates another waitress had helped bring over.

"What the hell? Are you suffering full moon syndrome?" Emmett laughed at his own joke, wincing when Rosalie smacked him over the head, "Not so hard, Rose."

"Look who just walked in," Annabelle smiled up at Leah, who was no longer paying any attention to any of them.

Without a word or excuse, Leah walked away from them and towards the counter, hands fluttering up to her face, pushing her straight sable brown hair behind her ears.

"Hey," Emmett stared after her before turning towards the rest of his group, "She didn't give me my burger."

"As if you're gonna eat it," Alice murmured as she looked over her shoulder at Leah and the new customer at the counter, "What's he doing here?"

"What do you think he's doing here," grumbled Jacob as he slouched on his seat, frowning over at Leah and her new friend, "Leah's what he's doing here."

"Oh, that was a dirty one," Emmett snickered as he stood up and finished distributing the plates, "You make me proud Jake."

"It wasn't supposed to be dirty, you perverted old geezer," Rosalie frowned at Emmett as he sat down on his chair, "Otherwise, he would have said 'Leah's who he's doing here.'"

"Will y'all shut up," Jacob glowered at Rosalie and Emmett, "I'm trying to listen to the conversation."

Annabelle elbowed him in the ribs, "Don't be nosy, Jake. Leave them alone."

* * *

It was lust, plain and simple.

Rick watched as she walked around the tables towards him, her hands brushing her hair back, away from that exotically beautiful face.

He couldn't stop thinking about her, about the first time he saw her naked, her beautiful russet colored skin almost blending with the forest ground.

Memories of the last fourteen days flitted through his head before he could stifle them, a frown marring his face as he looked over at the corner of the diner, watching Edward give a slight grimace.

_Zeus_, he hated the fact that someone else was privy to his own personal thoughts. He knew Edward was constantly sifting through them during class, sharing them with Jacob, who spent the entire hour glaring at him from his seat, his hand gripping his pen until it snapped and ink ran all over his fist.

Rick had kept count of the snapped pens, so far adding up to nine since the day he'd gone to the Cullens for the bare all, reveal all session.

It was becoming glaringly obvious to him that Jacob did not approve of his interactions with Leah.

"Hi," the soft words weaved into his system, making him ache with need as he turned his eyes towards her, no longer caring about Jacob's approval.

Leah was a big girl after all.

"How are you," he smiled at her, his eyes moving over her face then down her body, "I hope not too sore after last evening."

"Shh," Leah looked around her to make sure no one, other than the sharp eared snoops in the corner, had heard him, "Don't say stuff like that in public."

"I never thought of you as being the oversensitive, shy kind of girl," Rick reached out and laced his fingers through hers, tugging her a little closer.

"It's not that…it's just that, well," Leah looked down at the counter, biting her bottom lip before looking at him, her cheeks blush stained, "What we do is private…no one else's business. Including the mind-reading ass behind me and his group of gossip mongers."

Rick chuckled as he looked over Leah's shoulder towards said group, all of them sporting identical frowns as they looked towards him.

Waving at them, he stood up, dropping a kiss on Leah's lips, "Will I see you tonight?"

"Is it a full moon?"

"No," Rick couldn't help the grimace that came with the shameful memory, "But I would enjoy it if you came into the woods with me."

"Well, I'll try," Leah pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Try?"

"Yeah," Leah looked over her shoulder at the coven before leaning in closer to Rick, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I haven't been able to phase since the night we…well…the night we met."

Rick's eyebrows lowered, evident confusion displayed in his blue eyes, "Has this happened before?"

"No," Leah bit her lip as she looked over her shoulder again, "Well, actually, the evening after we…well, I thought it was because of Jasper that I couldn't phase. But even when I'm alone without him around, I can't phase. I don't know what's going on or what to do."

"Can't you call your mother," Rick brushed his knuckles across her jaw, "See if she can find out what may be going on?"

"That's the thing," Leah shifted from one foot to the other, "Even in my own pack, I'm an anomaly. There's never been a female werewolf before…so everything that happens to me is pretty much theory, trial and error."

"Uh," Rick frowned as he stared into her brown green eyes, trying to figure out what to say, "We can talk about this later. I have to get back to campus. I have a class in thirty minutes."

"Oh," Leah nodded, letting go of his hand, "I guess I'll see you later today."

"Right," he leaned down and kissed her lips, gently biting the bottom one before turning and walking away, hands shoved into the front pockets of his khaki pants.

Leah leaned against the counter, fingers touching her lip, a sigh escaping her as she watched his strong back and broad shoulders disappear from view.

Closing her eyes, she recalled the feel of his mouth on hers, wishing with everything in her that she could tell him how she felt.

Imprinting was hell, especially because she knew he didn't feel the same thing for her that she did for him.

Even now, with him publicly claiming her as his, she knew it was merely a male slash wolf possessiveness thing, not something deep and meaningful.

"You know, all he really cares about is the sex."

"Will you get away from me," she turned to frown up at Jacob, pushing him away as she tried to step around him, "And it's really none of your business."

"You're my pack sister, Leah," Jacob shoved his fingers through his hair, wondering if maybe he should have listened to Annabelle when she told him to stay out of it, "That makes this my business."

"You don't have a pack, Jacob," Leah glowered at him, her fisted hands resting on her hips, "You have a coven. I am definitely not a part of that. So butt out."

"Come on Jacob. We're leaving," Annabelle stepped up beside him, taking his hand in hers, "I'm sorry Leah."

"Yeah, you should be," Leah grumbled as she watched the Cullens head out of the restaurant, "There are many guys out there so much better that Jacob…which obviously points out the glaring fact that you have horrid taste in men."

"Horrid," Jacob muttered as he let Annabelle pull him behind her, "And you call me a pansy ass."

Leah shook her head, turning her back on them as she headed towards their empty table, picking up the two hundred dollar tip they had left behind. She didn't like any of the Cullens', enjoyed insulting them to their faces, but one thing she had to admit, they were very generous tippers. And lucky for her, they always sat at her tables.

* * *

Rick felt restless…kind of itchy. Closing his apartment door behind him, he tossed his briefcase onto the couch, shoving his fingers through his hair before he tugged his button down shirt out of the waistband of his khaki pants.

Sighing, he moved towards the kitchen, wondering if he had any edible food in his refrigerator.

Opening the door, he frowned at the obvious lack of food, made even more obvious by the nearly empty half gallon of milk, which he was sure had gone sour by now, and a rather puny looking apple.

Closing the door, he moved down the hall towards his bedroom, pulling off his shirt and tossing it towards the laundry hamper next to his walk-in closet.

He couldn't understand why he was feeling so…like his skin was too tight on his body…like he was getting too much air into his lungs…

Sitting on the side of his bed, he leaned forward, shoving his fingers into his dark blond hair, fisting them there until he could figure out what was wrong.

It was almost as if he had too much…too much…too much _loneliness_.

The sudden revelation had him reaching for the bedside table drawer, pulling out a silver frame, his blue eyes glazing over with agonizing pain as he looked down at what had been his most precious possession, the glossy picture protected by glass.

Running his fingers over the lines of their faces, he closed his eyes as memories came to him, flooding him with deep loneliness.

He could see her green eyes, glittering with mirth as she laughed up at him, her golden hair blowing around her softly rounded face.

He could hear her laughter as she ran along the seaside, the wind wrapping her gauzy dress around her body, making her look like Aphrodite herself.

He could feel her soft hands as she handed him the physical result of their love for each other, its small warm body wiggling, making him choke with pride as he held the soft bundle close to his chest.

He could smell the soft baby skin as he helped give his son his first bath, his long fingers running over the round tummy, the tiny toes and fingers, the fine golden silk that covered the top of his tiny head.

Chocking back a sob, he gave the picture one last lingering look before placing it back into the drawer, the sound of the closing drawer shutting him into his loneliness, his heart feeling big inside his chest.

Falling back onto his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, wondering how much longer Leah was going to take to arrive.

Whenever he was with her, he was able to empty himself of the loneliness that filled him, forget his pain and agony as he buried himself deep inside her, losing himself in her scent, her softness, her warmth.

The knock on the door brought him back, causing his body to jump to attention as he stood up, moving quickly out of the bedroom and down the hall, knowing with certainty that Leah was waiting at the other side of his front door.

Opening the door, he looked into her brown-green eyes, and without a single word, he reached out and pulled her in, his mouth slamming down onto hers, his tongue pushing in, seeking her taste as he closed the door behind her, pulling her tight against his body as he slowly walked her down the hallway towards his bedroom, his mouth never leaving hers.

He dropped her purse outside his bedroom door, tossed her jacket onto his dresser, dropped her waitress uniform by the foot of his bed.

Pushing her into the mattress, he tugged off her shoes and socks before sliding his hands over the navy blue lace camisole and matching boy-cut panties, pushing a leg between hers.

"Why don't you wear a bra," he whispered into her ear as he moved his hands under the camisole, pushing it up to cup his hands over her small breasts.

"I'm not big enough to need one," she sighed, lifting her hips and wrapping a leg around his, wishing he would take off his khaki pants, "And I never really liked them."

"I don't either," Rick pulled off her camisole, his hot blue eyes moving over her small breasts, tapered ribs and flat stomach, "You remind me of Diana."

"Who," Leah moved back, about to roll away from him, but he held her down with his body weight.

"Diana…goddess of the hunt," Rick moved his mouth down her throat, sucking and nibbling as he moved his hands over her narrow waist, sliding his fingers into the waistband of her lace panties.

"Oh," Leah relaxed into the mattress, lifting her hips so he could remove her underwear, pushing herself up onto her elbows to watch him remove his khaki pants, followed by gray boxer briefs, "Was she flat-chested?"

"No," Rick climbed back onto the bed, settling himself between her legs, "And neither are you."

Leah moaned as Rick trapped her hands over her head, her body opening as he pushed into her, her mind closing down as her need for him took over, her body glorying over his possession, her soul aching for completion.

She needed him, on so many levels, and it hurt that he couldn't or wouldn't fulfill all of them.

But maybe, with time, he would see her as more than just a willing woman in his bed.

Maybe he would someday love her.


	30. Chapter 29

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's the next one! Hope y'all enjoy! And remember to review!**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

_A month later_

Edward's head snapped up, his eyes thoroughly searching the diner, his eyebrows pulled together in concentration.

"What," Annabelle looked up from her Music Theory book, "What are you hearing, Eddie?"

"It's…" Edward turned as Leah walked into the diner, moving quickly across the floor towards the counter, shoving her purse under the register, quickly pulling on her apron, "It's Leah."

"What's she thinking that's got that look on your face?"

"Nothing…I mean, she's thinking about Rick –"

"No surprise there."

"But that's not what caught my attention."

"What, then?"

"She's…carrying something."

Annabelle gave him a strange look, shoving a bookmark in between the pages before closing the book and setting it aside, "What could she possibly be carrying that's got you worried? A blowtorch?"

"Can't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"Here she comes. Pay attention."

"Is the rest of your coven coming soon," Leah stood a couple of feet away, her nose wrinkling in pain and her hand tightening around the waitress pad.

"They'll be here in half an hour," Edward smiled up at her, his butterscotch eyes flickering between Leah's face and her hands, which she held against her waist.

"So cheeseburgers, fries and cokes all around, right," Leah turned to grab an empty table and started pulling it towards the booth.

"Here, let me help you," Edward began to rise from the booth seat, halting mid-movement when Leah turned to glare at him.

"I can do it," she snarled, her voice low and menacing, "I'm hardly a normal girl without upper body strength."

"I just don't think someone in your condition –Ouch!" Edward turned to glare at Annabelle along with all the other diner patrons, whom had heard the loud _thunk_ of Annabelle's foot connecting with Edward's shin.

"What condition?"

"Nothing," Annabelle smiled up at Leah, her fingers plucking at the sugar packets she had pulled out of their container, "What Edward was trying to say was that people might find it strange that a girl as slim as you could easily pull that heavy table.

Leah gave her a strange look, her brown-green eyes moving between Edward and Annabelle. There were hiding something, and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what it could be.

"Hey pup," Emmett's voice sounded behind her, grating her nerves, "You got our orders in yet?"

"I was trying to arrange your tables but nosey over here thought it would be too heavy for me," Leah frowned at Edward as she stepped away from Emmett, feeling uneasy at having her back to him along with, what appeared to be the rest of the Cullen coven, "An don't call me pup."

"You go get our food –"

"Which you don't eat."

"–Jake and I will take care of this table."

Leah walked away, quickly tossing a look over her should as Edward said something too low in volume for her to pick up.

The strange looks they all send her way were enough for her to know she was their topic of conversation.

She couldn't help but think she'll never find out what about her could have the Cullens looking…well, worried.

* * *

_Two weeks later_

Oh dear God, it couldn't be. This couldn't be possible. It was…unthinkable. Unimaginable.

Leah stared into the mirror, a look of utter shock reflected back at her and she couldn't do anything about it.

It was impossible…this was not supposed to happen.

She couldn't be…

Oh God, oh God, oh God!

Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from the sink, brushing her fingers through her damp hair. It would soon be morning and Rick would be back from his full moon jaunt through the woods soon.

She had to get herself together. It couldn't possibly be true and as soon as she could, she would find proof –

The Cullens!

They knew something…something that pertained to her. Could this be it? Could they know already? How?

She had to go to them, demand that they explain their strange behavior around her this past month. Ever since that day at the diner a month ago…the strange looks…that weird comment about her condition that Edward made…

How could he possibly know when she didn't even think it possible until now?

No, no, no. It wasn't true. Something else was happening –

Leah walked out of the bathroom in time to hear the back glass door slide open, tired steps echoing off the wooden floor in the living room before he turned into the hallway, stopping to stand directly before her.

He was wearing cut off jeans and nothing else. Leah bit her lip as she saw the tired lines bracketing his mouth and radiating out from the corner of his eyes. His dark blond hair looked dull, along with his tanned skin. Leah knew he was covered in dirt from having woken up on the forest floor…just like that morning months ago when he had woken up with her next to him.

"How was your night," she asked for lack of anything better. Being that they usually didn't have conversations, she didn't really know how to talk to him.

"Ask me tomorrow morning and I'll be more than happy to tell you," Rick moved down the hallway, his tired steps dragging less than when he had come in, "Were you going somewhere?"

"Uh…no, not really," Leah took a step back into his bedroom, her arms wrapped around her stomach, all of her muscles tightening with expectation at the look in Rick's ice blue eyes, "Are you hungry? Would you like some breakfast?"

"Right now, all I want is to feel normal. That involves a shower," Rick reached out and snagged one of her wrists, pulling her towards him, "And you. I think I can handle both at the same time. Can you?"

"I, uh…I just got out of the shower but if you want to…"

"I do."

Leah let him tug her towards the master bathroom, forcing her thoughts to stay away from her current crisis.

Somehow, someway, she was going to prove that it wasn't true.

* * *

"We've been over this for the past six weeks," Annabelle finished French braiding Rosalie's hair, nimbly tying the end with a blue silk ribbon, "I don't think it's any of our business whether she knows or not."

"She's going to find out, sooner or later," Jacob twisted the wrench in his hand to the left, his eyes never leaving the carburetor he was putting together, "We might as well tell her."

"You won't need to," Alice looked up from the fashion magazine she was reading, "She's coming up the drive right now."

"And she's furious," Edward added, turning away from the piano where he had been giving Bella her daily lesson, "Apparently, she's blaming us."

"Why us," Emmett looked away from the television screen, pausing the videogame he had been playing, "It's not like we did it to her."

Jacob laughed as the front door swung open without a knock, a clearly angry Leah stomping in without invitation.

"Leah," Jacob placed the wrench beside the finished carburetor, "Werewolves aren't allowed into a vampire's house without an invitation first."

"Stuff it," Leah dropped her purse at her feet, "You know why I'm here…Jasper, stop it! If I want to be mad, let me be mad! I haven't been able to phase for months so you don't have to worry about that."

"Sorry," Jasper shrugged as he closed his History of the Civil war book, "Habit. Besides, your anger is making me nervous."

"And a nervous vampire is not a good thing to have around," Emmett grinned at Leah, his good humor fading at the glare she shot his way.

"So," Leah turned towards Edward, her arms crossed tight across her chest, "Is it true?"

Edward looked at Jacob before turning his gaze towards Leah, "Yes. We suspect that's the reason why you haven't been able to phase as well."

"But I haven't been able to phase for over…"

"Over two months," Bella took Edward's hand in hers, giving Leah a look of compassion.

"Two months…" Leah's knees buckled and she landed on the wooden floor, her face frozen in shock, "That long?"

"We think since the night you two met," Jacob reached out to squeeze her shoulder in support, worried when she didn't flinch at his cold hand, "Or morning after. Doesn't really matter. What are you going to do, Leah?"

"I don't know…make sure it's true," Leah scrubbed her hands over her face, "Then I suppose I should tell him."

"Does he know about the imprinting, Lee," Jacob tilted his head to the side, looking into Leah's worried filled eyes.

"No," Leah shook her head, pushing herself to her feet, "But maybe it's time. I mean…after I tell him…about that and…this…he might be okay with it…he might feel something for me…"

Leah closed her eyes, wishing, praying, that Rick would indeed return her love for him. That he would declare to her his need for all of her.

Accept and fill her needs for him.

Maybe…


	31. Chapter 30

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's the next chapter! Thank you for the reviews and comments concerning the last chapter. This story is moving fast. But there's still more to come. Special thanks to hilja for the amazing insight and comments. I enjoy them immensely!**

**Chapter Thirty**

Leah took a deep breath as she looked through the windshield at Rick's front door.

He was inside, waiting for her. She knew that. But she couldn't go in not knowing what to say, or how to say it.

She had to get it together. She had to understand what she was thinking before she blurted it out. It had to make sense.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she looked down at her hands, turning the plastic stick she held over and over again.

It was positive…a freaking positive stick.

Should she start with that? Just hand him the stick and see what happens?

No. That would be…crude. Not to mention cruel.

She had to build up to it. Make it the last piece of the all around shocking news.

So how to start?

I love you?

Have you ever heard of imprinting?

Have I ever told you about this strange phenomenon among my pack called imprinting? Well, let me tell you about it.

Yeah, that sounded like a good beginning. Looking out the windshield, Leah's eyes widened as she realized she had to go talk to Rick soon or wait until the next morning.

Sliding the stick into her purse, she opened the door, taking a deep breath.

She had to be strong. She had to make sure he listened to her. She couldn't let him sidetrack her. No matter what, she had to get this done and over with now.

* * *

Rick opened the door at her first knock, a smile coming easily to him as he looked down at her serious face, wondering if he had ever even seen her smile.

Taking her hand, he pulled her in, closing the door behind her as he kissed her jaw, "I've been waiting for you for over an hour. I say you make it up to me before it gets dark."

"Rick," Leah pulled back, gently tugging her hand away, "We need to talk."

"We don't have much time to talk," Rick took her purse and dumped it on the floor by the front door, "Or much to talk about."

"Well, we may not, but I do," Leah took a step back, her heart beating hard as he followed, "I need you to listen to me."

"Can't we talk tomorrow," Rick reached out, snagging her around the waist and pulling her into his arms, "Once I get back?"

"No," Leah held herself stiff, pain radiating from her heart through her body at refusing him, "I need to tell you now."

"Fine then," Rick slid his hand into her straight silky hair, tugging her head back, his mouth moving down her throat, "Go ahead and talk."

"I can't…concentrate…with you doing that."

"Good, because I don't want you to be able to concentrate," Rick nibbled at her earlobe, sliding his free hand under her cotton t-shirt and lace camisole, instinctively finding her breast and squeezing gently.

Leah moaned, closing her eyes, wanting to succumb to his seductive touch, wanting to sink into him and have him sink into her.

She had to be strong.

She had something to say and by God, she was going to say it.

"Dammit, Rick," Leah tore herself away from his touch, straightening her top, crossing her arms and tucking her shaking hands under her armpits, "I have something to say and I want you to listen."

"Fine," Rick raked his fingers through his hair in frustration, "What is it?"

"It's…it's about us."

"Us?"

"You and me," Leah sucked in a breath, lowering her eyes, her stomach clenching. She hadn't even started and it was already going down hill.

"Leah," Rick stared her down cast face, wondering what the hell was going through her head, "I…I thought you knew what this was about…that you were okay with it…I didn't think that you…that you…"

"That I love you?" Leah looked up at him, catching the look of surprise and dismay, feeling her heart caving in on itself, "You thought I was okay with you treating me and thinking of me as a whore? You actually thought I was okay with that?"

"I never…" Rick sucked in a breath as he realized he couldn't negate her questions. He had been treating her like a whore…_Zeus_, he had been acting like an asshole, "Look, I thought we had an understanding. This was a mutually pleasing grown up relationship. No messy emotions…just…mutual physical pleasure."

"That's the funny thing about understandings," Leah gave him a look filled with sorrow and pain, "Unless they're spelled out, they become misunderstandings."

Rick rubbed the back of his neck, squirming at the look of disillusionment that was evident on her face. Turning his back at her, he walked away, wondering why it bothered him that his actions had hurt her.

"Dammit Leah," Rick turned around, feeling anger at her, at the situation, at himself start to grow in the pit of his stomach, "I never did anything to make you love me. I never made you any promises."

"I know," Leah sighed as she took a step back, his anger causing her to tense up, "You didn't have to do anything. I had no choice about loving you."

"No choice," Rick laughed harshly, "There's always a choice Leah. Five years ago, I chose Ileana as my mate. And after all this time, I still love her…because I choose to continue loving her. And I'll never stop."

Leah gasped as she felt her heart give a lurch. Oh God, she just knew this imprinting crap was going to kill her.

"So you go ahead and choose to stop loving me Leah," Rick shoved his fingers through his hair, tugging hard, "Because you won't get anything from me."

"You may be able to choose not to love me, Rick," Leah closed her eyes, wondering how she could still be breathing after her heart had shattered to a million pieces, "But I really have no choice. If I had, I wouldn't love you. You're selfish, self-centered and an asshole. But because of what I am, I can't do anything but love you."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Leah rubbed her hand over her chest, the ache in her heart radiating outward. God, she can even feel it to her fingertips.

"I might as well tell you everything," Leah looked around to living room, not able to look at him, knowing if she did she would start to cry, "In my tribe, among those who phase, there's a phenomenon known as imprinting."

"Imprinting," Rick leaned against the bar that separated his kitchen and living room.

"Yes. It's how our mates are chosen. We don't have much of a choice as to when we imprint or who we imprint on."

Rick had a feeling he was about to find out about the ghosts in Leah's past. He wasn't sure if he was ready for that.

"I was engaged once. He was my high school sweetheart, my first love, my best friend, the first and only man I've ever been with…before you. I loved him and he loved me. He proposed my senior year of high school. He was a freshman at the nearby community college."

Rick wanted to make her stop, but he couldn't talk. He couldn't look away from her face. Something in him revolted at the idea of her being with another man; of having loved someone with the same intensity he had loved his wife. _Zeus, _he was a selfish bastard.

"My prom night was when everything changed. It had been building up to it. Ever since the Cullens moved to Forks, strange things started happening to him. Needless to say, prom night, on his way to pick me up, everything blew up. Literally and figuratively. He was the first of the tribe to phase due to having the Cullens near the reservation. As time went by, more of the boys in the rez joined the pack. He, being the first, was the Alpha. Still is."

Here it comes, Rick thought, the reason why she had ran away from home and headed straight to New Hampshire.

"Anyway, eight weeks before the wedding, he imprinted…on my cousin. He broke off the engagement. Told me he still loved me but he had no choice. My cousin was the one chosen for him…by Fate…genetics…the cosmic gods. I don't really know and I didn't care. I was devastated. I had chosen to give my heart to him and he had no choice but to return it in pieces. I never really understood…until I met you. Then it all made sense."

"You still haven't told me what imprinting is," Rick wondered why he was whispering…why he felt like he was treading on egg shells.

"Imprinting is…when you find the one person who defines your very soul. That person becomes the center of your universe, the gravity that holds you in place, the one that explains your existence. Nothing else matters except them…their dreams, their desires, their wants, their needs…it all becomes yours. Their joy, their pain…you feel that too."

"You feel…what I feel," Rick felt bothered by that idea.

"Yes…the loneliness…the desperation…the need to forget. Every time you touched me, I felt it. You wanted to forget. And I had no choice but to give you what you want…even though it hurt me," Leah finally looked up at him, a sharp pain slicing through her soul at the look of detachment on his face, "I let you use me because that was what you wanted…I had no choice."

"What I wanted," Rick pushed himself away from the bar, walking around towards the front door, "Let me tell you what I want, Leah. I want you to go, give me my space. You may not have a choice about any of this, but I do. I never wanted to share my loneliness, my desperation…any of my memories with you. I admit I used you to forget…you were willing enough. But my feelings belong to me…and no one else. So please…leave…now."

Leah sucked in several breaths before pushing herself to her feet, stumbling across the living room towards the front door, wondering if she would die at his feet or further down the road.

Giving him one last look, she couldn't hold back a sob, "I'll go because you want me to…there's nothing…nothing I wouldn't have done for you."

Leah stumbled across the front drive, her arms wrapped around herself, trying not to fall apart, not to shatter into a million tiny pieces, an echo to the shattering of her heart.

She pulled her car keys from her jeans' pockets, groping for the handle of the car door, climbing in just as the knot in her throat loosened, her eyes welling up with tears as jerking sobs shook her body.

The faint thought that she shouldn't be driving like this passed through her head but she had to get out of there. He wanted his space, wanted her to leave…that's what she was going to do.

Pulling out of the drive, she drove down the road, her foot heavy on the accelerator, the car weaving as she continued to cry, the sobs and tears choking her as she tried to breathe, her hands tight around the wheel.

The road blurred, making it impossible for her to see in time as a dog ran across it. Turning her wheel sharply to the left, she screamed as trees rushed towards her, the sound of breaking glass and bending metal filling her ears.

The pain was instantaneous and all consuming, but it paled in comparison to the constant tearing of her soul.

Before she blacked out, she had one last thought, a small ray of light in the utter blackness that had descended on her since Rick asked her to leave.

_My baby!_


	32. Chapter 31

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: All of you readers have been so amazing with the reviews that I've decided to reward you by updating two chapters at once! Keep the reviews coming and I shall keep the chapters coming as well!**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

It was cold, painfully cold. It moved over her, prodding and poking until she groaned, moaning in pain as she sucked in a burning breath.

It wasn't fair. She hadn't had a chance to atone for her sins, ask for forgiveness from those she had deliberately hurt. She hadn't been given the chance to buy her way out of this freezing-burning hell.

And even so, with the aching pain racking her body, the cold seeping into her bones, the sweet scent burning her lungs, her throat her nose, it was nothing –_nothing –_compared to the gaping hole where her soul had been.

And she had thought she knew what pain was.

How wrong could she have been?

Blackness sucked her back into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Her left leg's broken."

"I've called Carlisle. He said he'll meet us at the hospital."

"Thanks Alice."

"No problem. That's what family's for."

"I'm going to have to set her leg before we get her to the hospital. She's already healing –fast."

"Despite the fact she hasn't phased in months. And she's hot as hell. The people at the hospital are gonna freak."

"No duh Emmett."

"Oh shut up Anna."

"Did you just tell my girl to shut up?"

"What? She called me an idiot."

"I never said that."

"I didn't hear her say that."

"Hell-o. Can we focus here? Leah's got a broken leg, a concussion and could possibly miscarry."

"Sorry Bells. I'll focus. Promise."

"How'd you know she had a concussion?"

"Edward just told me."

"Alright, her leg is set. We need to get her to the hospital. Now."

"Emmett, where are you going?"

"Gee, Rose. I don't think we all need to take her to the hospital."

"Emmett."

"Fine! I'm gonna go kill that jackass. We all know that's why Leah's all banged up. Asshole probably told her he wanted nothing with her or the baby. A guy's gotta stand up for a gal."

"You can't kill him."

"Why not? The guy's in wolf form. He's got a fighting chance. Ja-ake."

"As much as I'd like to join you, we can't. We kill him, we kill Leah. Along with the rest of the pack."

"Aw man."

"Okay, we have to get going. Now. Leah's temperature's dropping, along with her blood pressure."

"Oh shit."

* * *

Leah couldn't stop shivering.

It hurt to even flicker an eyelid and yet here she was, shivering nonstop, no matter how loud her brain demanded her body to stop.

"I'll get you another blanket, Lee."

Leah opened her eyes, turning her head towards the voice, swallowing back a groan of pain as her muscles protested the voluntary movement.

She watched as Jacob opened a wardrobe, pulling out a fuzzy thick blanket and spreading it open over her.

"Where…" Leah swallowed, closing her eyes at the sudden exhaustion that swamped her.

"Hanover Hospital. Carlisle works here. He'll be in to see you in a few minutes."

Leah struggled through the many questions swamping her mind, grabbing on to the most important one.

"My…baby?"

"The baby's fine, Leah. There's no need to worry about that," Caslisle walked across the floor to stand besides Leah's bed, a smile on his face, his butterscotch eyes filled with compassion, "You went into shock. That's why your temperature dropped, along with your blood pressure. But since we've been there before, I knew just what to do."

"My baby? Is it okay?"

"Your baby's a strong one. Even with all the chaos over you, the baby stayed stable. Strong heart beat. I had an OB/GYN look you over just to make sure. She said your healthy, the baby's healthy, and everything is progressing nicely. She wants you to have another check up in a month."

Leah nodded, a sigh of relief escaping her, "Thank you Dr. Cullen."

"I'll be by to check on you in a couple of hours. Anything you need, ask Jacob or one of the nurse's. Try to rest, Leah. You still have a lot to live for."

Leah nodded, her eyes filling with tears as she slowly moved her hand under the blankets to cover her lower abdomen.

"Do you want me to leave," Jacob moved to stand at the foot of the bed where Leah could see him without turning her head.

"No," Leah clenched her jaw as another set of shivers racked her body, "Why am I so cold?"

"You went into shock, Lee. Your body is still trying to regulate itself. It doesn't help that your usual temperature is higher than normal. Just a few degrees lower than your usual, while normal for them out there, is cold for you."

Leah chuckled softly, shifting under her covers, "I could use a space heater. Too bad you're a vamp now, Jake. You would've done nicely."

"I'm not sure how my girl would've dealt with finding you and me in bed together."

Leah chuckled again, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath, wincing in pain.

"Sorry. The air vent's right behind me," Jacob moved to the side, away from the air flow.

"How'd you find me, Jake?"

"I followed you."

"Why?"

"Because I was sure something like this might happen. He didn't take it very well, did he?"

"No," Leah turned to look out the window, which had a great view of the setting sun, "He didn't take it well at all. He asked me to leave…give him his space."

"You told him you were going to have his baby and he told you he wanted his space? What an asshole."

"Don't," Leah winced at the sharp pain that shot through her chest, "We never got to that. We didn't get past the imprinting."

"He rejected you even after you explained?" Jacob sounded shocked, surprise evident on his face that someone could reject that level of commitment and adoration that came with imprinting.

"You rejected your imprint."

"That was different."

"How so?"

"Annabelle was a vampire…I was a werewolf…mortal enemies, you know. That's beside the point. I'm with her now."

"Well, he made it clear he didn't want me with him."

"Leah –"

"I can't…I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Jacob nodded, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, his odd honey colored eyes moving over Leah's pale face, noting the cuts and bruises left behind from her car crash.

"Leah?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you drive into those trees on purpose?"

"No," Leah gave him a wry look, "I was crying and a dog ran across the road. I swerved so I wouldn't hit him. You were following me. You should know."

"You were driving fast, Lee. For all I knew, you were doing it on –"

"Don't," Leah struggled to sit up, "I promised Dad I wouldn't do something like that ever again."

"True, true," Jacob pushed himself away from the wall, giving Lee a smile, "I'm gonna go. You need to rest. You look like hell."

"Gee, thanks."

Jacob chuckled as he walked towards the door, Anything you need from me before I go?"

"No."

"Well, just let me know if you need anything," Jacob opened the door, about to step out of the room when Leah called out to him.

"Jake?"

Jacob turned around, heading back towards Leah's bedside, his eyes searching her face, nothing the exhaustion and the deep sorrow evident in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

Leah looked up at him, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Get me home."


	33. Chapter 32

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's chapter thirty-two as promised! Enjoy and review!**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

_December 13_

Sam stood still, letting the sounds, sights, smells flow pass him, around him. It had been so long since he had been surrounded by so many people, he almost felt claustrophobic.

But that didn't matter. He was going to wait. He would stand on this spot as long as necessary. The only part of his body that moved was his eyes, which scanned the crowd flowing around his statue-like form.

He would wait. No matter how long, he would wait.

_Flashback_

_Sam watched in fascination as Bradley and Bailey scooted across the living room floor, their drooly smiles evidence of the pride they felt at their amazing feat._

"_Amazing," Sam crowed with pride, "You two are amazing! Look at you go!"_

_Bailey laughed at the look on her father's face as she flopped onto her rounded tummy, waving her arms and legs with exuberance._

_The ringing phone interrupted the miraculous moment, causing Sam to emit a low growl which in turn caused the crawling twins to giggle with delight._

_Walking to the kitchen, where Emily insisted in keeping the phone, he kept his eyes on his mobile babies, having learned from experience at the mischief is seven month old babies could get into._

"_Hello?"_

_The silence at the other end of the line caused the small hairs at the back of his neck to stand on end._

"_Hello?"_

"_Sam?"_

_Sam's forehead creased at the familiar yet strange voice that had uttered his name._

"_Jake?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_You sound strange."_

"_Um…It's probably the connection. How are things at La Push?"_

"_Fine," Sam walked back towards the living room, holding the portable phone against his ear, "Did you just call to get updates on the rez? 'Cause I happen to know your dad keeps you updated."_

"_Yeah, he does. I didn't call for the local gossip."_

"_What's up Jake?"_

"_It's Leah."_

"_What happened to Leah," Sam straightened up, instantly alert as thoughts of every possible evil befalling Leah flashed through his head._

"_Nothing. Well, that's not true. Look, the only reason I called is because I just thought it would be good for someone to be there when she arrived."_

"_Where," Sam looked out the window as Emily pulled up to the front of their little seaside house._

"_Sea-TAC. She left for Seattle an hour ago."_

"_What happened to her car," Sam smiled, his heart growing light and warm as Emily opened the front door and walked in._

"_Scrap metal." Before that, it was wrapped around a pine tree."_

"_I thought you said nothing happened to her," Sam shoved his fingers through his hair in aggravation._

"_I also said it wasn't true. Look, she's going to arrive Seattle tonight and I thought having Sue and Seth meet her there would be too emotional. But if you don't want to do it, I'll call –"_

"_No, there's no need. I'll go."_

"_Good. You owe her that much."_

"_I know," Sam leaned down to kiss the concerned look from Emily's face, brushing his thumb over her scarred cheek._

"_Sam."_

"_What?"_

"_Be gentle with her. She's gone though hell."_

"_When hasn't she?"_

"_This time it's different."_

"_How so?"_

"_She imprinted. He told her to leave."_

_End of Flashback_

Sam came on alert as he caught a glimpse of a familiar face…but no…that couldn't be Leah…

"Sam?"

Looking her over, Sam couldn't figure out what to say first. Damn but he wished Jacob had given him further warning.

"You changed your hair," Sam felt like an idiot at saying something so lame.

"My hair? My hair is what you noticed?"

"Well," Sam gave her a slop sided smile, "I did notice you've put on some weight but I didn't think it would be smart to say that."

Leah laughed, holding her arms around her small rounded stomach, gasping for air as her laughter turned into great big heart-wrenching sobs, her embarrassment complete when the tears she tried to hold back rolled down her cheeks.

Sam pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, resting his cheek against the top of her head as she wrapped her arms around her waist, hanging on tight as her body shook with the force of her sobs.

Rocking her gently, Sam kissed the top of her head before tilting her face up, this thumbs wiping away her tears.

"Life's a bitch, uh?" He smiled down at her, feeling his heart break with compassion at the utter despair and sorrow evident in her brown-green eyes.

"Yeah," Leah gave him a wobbly smile as she mentally pulled herself together, "And she seems to hate me."

"Someday you'll show her," Sam gave her a squeeze before letting her step away from him, watching her take deep breaths as she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Enough of this pity me crap," Leah finished wiping her face, smiling up at him as she absently straightened her turquoise top, smoothing it over her small pregnant belly, "What are you doing here?"

"Jacob called me."

"He wasn't supposed to call anybody," Leah shook her head, tugging at the hem of her denim jacket, "I told him not to tell anyone that I was coming."

"How were you planning on getting to La Push from Seattle," Sam frowned down at her, wondering if the old Leah who refused help from others was still somewhere within the sad faced Leah that stood before him.

"I was going to hire a taxi," Leah shrugged, trying to covertly rub her lower back. She had been sitting for too long on that plane. Good thing it had been first-class seats, which had given her much appreciated leg space.

"That's a lot of money."

"Yeah, well…the Cullens pretty much took care of that."

"Uh," Sam's eyes narrowed as he took notice of what Leah was wearing, for the first time, "Pretty expensive clothes you're wearing."

"Yeah…Alice went shopping for me," Leah reached up to run her fingers through her hair, "She bought way too many clothes but insisted on it. She said it was probably her only chance on buying maternity clothes. So I'm pretty much set up to when I give birth…and after too."

"Uh," Sam wasn't sure how he felt about what Leah was saying, "They've been taking care of you, uh?"

"Yeah," Leah smiled up at him, sorrow never leaving her slanted eyes, "They've been okay. Great actually. I finally put my foot down when Edward wanted to replace my wrecked car. Instead, I let him buy me a first-class ticket out of New Hampshire."

Sam nodded before turning towards the baggage claim area, "Let's go get your luggage. We've got a long trip home."

"Yeah," Leah nodded, walking beside him, her steps slightly dragging with exhaustion.

"So you want to tell me about him?"

"No, not really," Leah reached up to brush a tear that escaped the corner of her eye, feeling sheer desolation and pain at the mere thought of him.

"Then how about we talk about the munchkin you're carrying in there," Sam lightly patted her small belly, feeling relieved when she smiled up at him, her hands moving over her distended stomach.

"I think it's a boy, but I'm not sure. I got an ultrasound before I left Hanover, but the baby wouldn't cooperate. He has a strong heartbeat though. And he's growing fast! Won't let me sleep during the night."

Sam laughed as he casually dropped an arm around her shoulders, "I'm telling you from experience, it's pretty awesome to have a son."

Leah chuckled, veering towards the luggage belt assigned to her plane, "How are Bradley and Bailey?"

"They've started crawling. This means I have to pay more attention. You can't imagine the trouble they can get into and they're only seven months old! Can you imagine when they're teenagers?"

Leah laughed as she pointed out her matching baggage, biting her lip to keep a smile from appearing at the look of astonishment on Sam's face as he grabbed the expensive Louis Vutton luggage, which amounted to several pieces, "They're a gift from Annabelle…Jacob's imprint."

"She has good taste," Sam pulled what he hoped to be the last piece of baggage, turning to frown at a smiling Leah, "Tell me, how am I to carry all of this to the truck?"

"I can help."

"No you can't," Sam started grabbing baggage, "You're pregnant."

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," Leah grabbed two of her suitcases, pulling out the handles, "I'll take these. They have wheels."

Sam laughed as they made their way out of the airport and towards the parking lot, "Do you want to wait here? I'll bring the truck around and pick you up."

"No, I need to walk," Leah smiled up at him, "Were you this annoying when Emily was pregnant?"

"I was worse. She insisted she could walk on her own, but I didn't believe her."

Leah laughed as they walked through the parking garage, Sam shortening his steps to keep in pace with her tired stride.

"How far along are you, Lee," Sam looked over at her, noting the tired lines on her face, the slump of her shoulders, her dragging feet.

"Four months," Leah sighed as that full moon night of four months ago drifted through her thoughts. Wincing at the sharp pain in her chest, she stopped to take a deep breath.

"Leah, let me go get the truck. Wait for me here."

"No," Leah started walking again, blinking rapidly to rid herself of the tears that threatened. God, she hated how emotional she was becoming…she wasn't sure whether to blame it on the pregnancy or on…him.

"Are you sure?"

"I just want to go home, Sam. I want to sleep. I want to avoid all the emotional stuff that's involved with me coming back. Can we do that please?"

"Sure," Sam gave her a sympathetic smile, "My truck's on the next level. You can relax on the way home. I'll call Sue, give her a heads up. That should take care of the emotional stuff you want to avoid."

"Thank you," Leah sighed with relief when they approached a dark red truck, pulling herself into the cab after Sam opened the door for her, watching him from the side mirror as he threw her baggage onto the truck bed, "Be careful. That's expensive luggage."

"Which you probably won't use ever again," Sam muttered as he tossed the last piece then loped around the back towards the drive's door, "Buckle up and close your eyes. With any luck you'll be asleep by the time we get into Port Angeles."

Leah nodded, letting her head rest against the headrest, closing her eyes as she forced her mind to go blank. She didn't want to think…or feel…or remember.

She was going home…she couldn't help wish she had never left in the first place.

Sam hummed along with the song, his eyes sliding over Leah's sleeping face. He was sure that she had finally slipped into a deep sleep, which was why he finally felt free to pull out his cell phone, speed dialing Sue Clearwater.

"_Hello?"_

"Sue, its Sam."

"_Sam."_

"I'm on my way in from Seattle. Has Jacob called you?"

"_No. Was he supposed to?"_

"Well, no, I was just hoping he had. I have Leah with me. I just picked her up at the airport in Seattle."

"_You're bringing my baby home? Oh God! Thank you Sam."_

"No need to thank me. Can you ask Seth to get the pack to meet me at my place in a few hours? We should be arriving La Push in about three hours."

"_Is she okay, Sam? Is my Leah alright?"_

"About as well as she can be. Sue, you need to calm down. I don't think Leah can handle too much emotion right now. She's already pretty emotional as it is."

"_What's wrong? Sam, tell me what's wrong with Leah."_

"Nothing's wrong with her...technically. It's just that…well…"

"_Tell me Sam."_

"She's pregnant."


	34. Chapter 33

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Thank you, all you readers and reviewers! You are amazing, with the praise and encouragement but even more so with the constructive criticism. It gives me ideas as to how to advance this story.**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

_Full Moon Night_

The large sandy haired wolf couldn't seem to stop searching for something. Every full moon, he searched for the one he had claimed one full moon night months ago, but he had yet to find her. Sometimes, he could trace a faint smell of her near a small house at the outside of the forest, but the strong smell of humans discouraged him to get near enough to see if she was somewhere around.

But now…he couldn't smell anything remotely resembling her smell. Where was she? He could still visualize the sable brown haired wolf, the slanted brown green eyes shining with an intelligent glint that enthralled him. He could smell her musty scent, a scent that made him recall other smells…smells of citrus…and mint…

Where was she? He had to find her because since that night he had claimed her, he hadn't been with her or near her. She belonged to him and he wanted her near him, with him.

The feeling of incompleteness was driving him crazy, making him do or care about nothing but finding her. He had to have her back.

* * *

"Jake, you need to stop laughing. You're going to attract his attention then whether we fight or not is not going to be a choice anymore."

"I can't help it Emmett," Jacob's eyes was focused on a small figure far below the large pine tree he was sitting in along with Emmett, "We've been here since the moon hit high in the sky and all he seems to be capable of doing is walking around in circles…chasing his own tail…"

"Do you think, as wolf form, he realizes that Leah is his chosen mate?"

"Only on the nights of the full moon," Jacob pushed himself up to his feet and agilely balance on the thick branch, "And the morning after the next night. But it's obvious that Rick himself, without the wolf influence, is adamant not to feel anything for Leah. It's a hopeless fight he's got going on but I suppose he'll fight it anyways."

"How long do you give him before he goes after Leah," Emmett lifted his head, sniffing the air as the scent of the bears he and Jacob had been searching before picking up on Rick's scent, which caught their attention, "Our bears are nearby."

"Then let's go get 'em bro," Jacob pushed away from the thick tree trunk, flying to the next tree, Emmett following close behind, "And as for Rick…depends on how stubborn he is or how stubborn his wolf persona is."

* * *

_Six Months Pregnant_

Her baby had been home for two months and Sue still couldn't comprehend the changes in her.

The quiet, introverted Leah that had returned after months away from La Push was a total mystery to her. This new Leah was nothing like the one Sue had birthed, raised and mothered.

Her daughter had always been volatile, passionate, and emotional. She had loved passionately, hated passionately, had even grieved passionately.

While that trade had made her vibrate with life and energy, it had made her an unstable shape-shifter. Sue had lost count the many times Leah had phased due to a wrong look, a careless comment.

While Sue hadn't been able to get used to it, she hadn't had to handle that aspect of Leah's eruption-like personality. That had been Sam's job. There had been times Sue had pitied Sam despite what he had done to her Leah.

But now…none of them, her family or pack, knew how to handle this new Leah. The deep sorrow that dimmed what had once been beautifully bright brown-green eyes, so like her own, seemed to dig deep into their souls, making them uncomfortable…especially those who had imprinted.

It had been shocking to the pack, to find out that not only had Leah returned but that she was pregnant. Sue could still recall the conversation that they had included her in the night that Sam had walked into her house, a sleeping Leah in his arms.

"_What do you mean you're calling a pack meeting to discuss Leah's pregnancy," Sue whispered to Sam as she softly closed her daughter's bedroom door, taking a lingering look at her sleeping form, "What does the pack have to do with Leah being pregnant?"_

"_Nothing…if she were still in New Hampshire and not communicating with us. But she's back home and she's one of us. As a pack, it is our duty to protect, not only our people, but our children. Leah's carrying the future generation of our people…we must rally around her and help her with this. It's not easy being rejected by an imprint…actually, it's downright crippling. We understand what that feels like, although I'm the only one that's slightly experienced that level of pain."_

"_Sam…I don't know if this is a good idea…I mean, it's not like they won't find out eventually about Leah's pregnancy but to actually call a pack meeting? Isn't that going a little too far?"_

"_I don't think so…look, Sue, I'm going to call the meeting. You're welcomed to come and listen if you want to but it's not necessary. Just know that I will take every necessary precaution to protect Leah from anything that might threaten her. We all will."_

"_I'll be there. I want to know what's been going on that makes you think it's necessary to keep Leah under constant protection."_

Sue stopped wiping the living room window as she caught sight of her daughter slowly making her way up the drive. Her steps dragged and her shoulders were slumped.

It was obvious she was exhausted, having had a difficult time sleeping during the nights. Sue bit her bottom lip as she watched her first born stop, her eyes closing as she lifted her face up to the sky, the breeze moving her hair, which she had grown out to its original sable brown and cut it chin level.

Her hand moved up to her face, her long slim fingers brushing across her cheek, letting Sue know that she had been crying…again.

Sue sighed, knowing that an offer to talk wouldn't help. It seemed that paying attention to Leah's sorrow and pain increased it more. Sighing again, she put on a smile as the front door opened, Leah walking in with a smile on her face.

"Hi Mama," Leah pulled off her windbreaker, hanging it on one of the hooks beside the front door, "How are you?"

"Doing alright. Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

"Famished," Leah ran her hand over her large stomach, "Munchkin's practically demanding for food."

"With the way he demands for food every other hour, I'm thinking he'll be weighing about eight pounds by the time he's born," Sue walked across the living room towards the kitchen, Leah slowly following behind her.

"How was your walk," Sue pulled out what she needed to make Leah's favorite turkey sandwich with avocado, tomatoes and spinach.

"Good," Leah pulled out a chair and carefully sat down, "During the hour I was at First Beach, I saw Paul, Jared and Brady. Is the pack keeping tabs on me?"

"What do you mean? They were probably just making their rounds."

"Come on, mama. 'Fess up. Did the pack decide to do their rounds around me now that I'm back?"

"I wouldn't know –"

"Mom."

"Yes, yes they did," Sue placed the sandwich in front of Leah along with a glass of milk, hoping her daughter wouldn't get mad, "Sam called a pack meeting and they decided to do their rounds around you…in other words, you've become the center of the pack."

Leah smiled softly, her eyes sad as she picked up her sandwich, taking a bite out of a corner, "I assumed as much. Even Paul is being nice to me and we both know how much that must be killing him."

"Does it not bother you," Sue cocked her head to the side, disconcerted by Leah's accepting attitude.

"Not really," Leah shrugged, taking another small bite of her sandwich, "I'm the only female in the pack…and I'm pregnant. It's no surprise Sam would change the whole structure of the pack to put me in the middle. It's what a wolf pack would do."

Sue nodded, trying, once again, to understand her daughter, "It doesn't make you mad that Sam seems to be monitoring you twenty four seven?"

"Not twenty four seven, mama," Leah finished her sandwich, wiping her mouth on a napkin before taking her full glass of milk, "But Sam's the Alpha and he does whatever he wants. I may not have phased in over six months, but he's still my Alpha. Plus, it feels nice to see they all care enough to look after me even after the way I was with them."

Sue shook her head in surprise, "I just can't figure you out."

"What's to figure out," Leah drained her glass, pushing herself to her feet and walking across the kitchen with glass and plate in hand.

"You're a completely different person Leah. Introverted, pensive, retrospective –"

"And mature, I hope," Leah rubbed her lower back before moving towards her mother, "Mom, don't worry about me. I'm alright…well, as fine as I could be not having my imprint with me. But I have my baby…some how, I think he's the reason why I'm not going crazy. Please don't worry about me, just…just be there for me."

"I'm always here for you, Lee."

"I know mama," Leah kissed her mother's cheek, "And I thank you for that."

Sue watched her walk out of the kitchen, heading up the stairs to her room, arms around her pregnant belly. Sue ran her fingers through her hair, wondering if what Leah had just said was true.

Could she really be alright?

Or was she…depressed?


	35. Chapter 34

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Thank y'all for the wonderful reviews! Hilja, once again, yours made me think and ponder the possible different outcomes to the story as it develops. In all honesty, it freaks me out how in tune you are to how this story is developing. It's like you're, at times, reading my mind. Anyway, thanks for the amazing review. Keep sending them my way! They help me focus.**

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

_Eight Months Pregnant_

The ocean waves broke against the pebbled shore, the sound loud and discordant. It made Leah think of pain and loneliness. That was why she spent so much time at First Beach, because she felt less torn, less alone. Like she had company in her pain, as if nature itself understood and echoed the constant tearing and breaking of her soul.

Leah sighed as the breeze moved over her, bringing with it a faintly familiar earthy smell, causing the tears to well up in her throat. Swallowing hard, she moved her hands over her big belly, a small smile coming to her face as she tried to imagine what her baby would look like.

"You don't smile enough."

Leah looked up into Sam's face, her smile turning sad and slightly pensive, "Not much to smile about when I feel like I'm barely hanging on."

"Yeah, I've been there."

Leah stared out at the setting sun as Sam lowered himself to the ground facing her. She was sitting with her legs stretched out, her back resting against a large smooth log.

"Sam, I want to ask you something personal."

"Go for it."

"What was it like," Leah turned to look at him with her deep sorrowful brown-green eyes, "When Emily first said no to you. When she rejected you."

Sam sighed as he thought back on that dark period of his life, "It was…absolute hell. A black hole of loneliness and pain, which I fell into. A bottomless pit with no ending to the everlasting drop. It was this…aching gnawing pain; like I was missing something very vital…I could actually feel my soul tearing, if you know what I mean."

"Kind of," Leah ran her fingers through her hair, her eyes welling up with unwanted tears, "I still remember how much it hurt when he told me to leave, to give him his space. It was…death while still alive, you know?"

"Yeah," Sam crossed his legs, leaning his elbows on his knees, "Like you're breathing but it hurts so much, you'd rather stop."

"Exactly," Leah wiped her cheeks, crossing her legs and leaning forward, "I literally felt my soul tear into pieces…it was excruciating…nothing like a broken heart. I mean, when you told me the engagement was off, my heart broke. But that was nothing to what I felt when he told me to leave."

"I know," Sam reached out to take Leah's hand, his fingers interlocking with hers, "Lee-lee, you may not believe me…but my heart broke that day as well. I loved you, Leah, and it hurt to have to let you go. But I couldn't be with you when my soul belonged to Emily."

"You know, I didn't understand how imprinting could separate the heart and soul of a person," Leah sighed, turning her head to look into Sam's dark eyes, "It made no sense to me to feel the love you had for me still there, but being overshadowed by something unexplainable you felt for Emily. But now…oh, now I know. Sam, if you met him…he's a selfish asshole. Sort of like Paul and we both know how I feel about Paul."

Sam chuckled, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear, letting him see the profile of her face, "I got lucky that Emily ended up being such a sweet girl."

"Yeah, you did," Leah bit her lip, rubbing her fingers against the corner of her eye, "But as we both know, I don't have the best of luck. I realized almost from the beginning, after we officially introduced ourselves, that if I had been a normal girl, I would have never been attracted to him. Granted, he's handsome but…arrogant, self-centered, selfish…an all around world class ass."

Sam laughed, squeezing her fingers before letting go of her hand, "Doesn't it hurt you to talk like that about him?"

"A little," Leah rubbed her hands over her pregnant belly, "But what's a little pain compared to everything else? Besides, the day I stop being honest is the day I die. I told him, you know…if I had a choice, I wouldn't love him. He then proceeded to tell me that he had a choice. I thought that once I told him about imprinting on him, he would realize that he loved me…but I didn't take into account that he had once been in love before…that he was still in love."

"What I don't understand Lee, is how you can continue, day in and day out. The week after I attacked Emily, I couldn't think, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. Most of the time, I couldn't even move. It took Emily coming to me to get me to join the living. I know your mom thinks you're depressed but me…I can't figure out why you're not."

Leah gave him a sad smile before hugging her arms around her belly, "I've been thinking about it. You know that black hole you fell into? I haven't fallen into it…but I'm on the edge. Something seems to be holding me in place, keeps me teetering on the edge, hanging in space. It's a horrible feeling, because I know the loneliness, the gnawing pain, the desolation and sorrow down in the dark bottomless pit…the knowledge of what's before me makes me feel…it's agonizing to constantly wonder when I'll be falling…if it'll happen when I'm not prepared."

"But what's holding on to you, Lee," Sam rubbed the back of his neck, "I can't figure out what could be holding you in place."

"I've figured it out," Leah's eyes twinkled slightly as she watched Sam give her a look she knew meant he wanted her to tell him…and quick.

"Well?"

"It's my baby," Leah rubbed her hands over her stomach again, "He's a part of him. Although I left him, I brought a part of him with me…I'm not completely cut off from my imprint…I'm carrying some of him with me…but the idea…of giving birth to my baby…of being separated from him…scares me. I'm afraid I'll spiral out of control once he's born…that I'll finally fall into that pit…then what am I suppose to do? How can I be a mother to my baby if I can't be emotionally present? I can't do that to him…it's not his fault that his father didn't want me. And I want him, Sam. I want my baby. I want to love him, to raise him, comfort him…I want to be his mother, always there for him."

"Leah," Sam scooted closer, wrapping his arms around her shaking shoulders, tucking her head against his chest as she cried, her body shaking as sobs wracked it. Closing his eyes, he tightened his arms around her, resting his cheek against the top of her head, letting her cry out her fears, "Sweetheart, calm down. You'll make yourself sick," pulling back, he lifted her face and looked into her sorrowful eyes, "We're here for you Lee. You're not alone. And neither is your baby. He's got a family waiting for him. And we're all going to hold on to you…hold you up…you're not going to fall into that pit because none of us are going to let you."

"Please," Leah hiccupped, scrubbing her hands over her face, "Please don't let go of me. Don't let me fall. I need my baby…and he's going to need me."

"You're not alone, Lee. Neither one of you are."

Leah nodded, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her light blue sweater, "I know…I know…but you'll have to remind me."

Giving him a trembling smile, she stretched out her legs and tried to push herself up to her feet. Sam jumped to his feet, laughing at Leah's frown at his agility before he reached down and took her hands, pulling her up, "You know you shouldn't be sitting on the ground when you can't get up. What would you have done if I hadn't shown up?"

"I would have waited for Jared…he's the one that makes the rounds right about now," Leah grinned up at him, letting go of his hands to rub her sore bottom.

Sam laughed, dropping an arm around her shoulders as he turned her towards her house, "I think it's time for you to go home. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Oh please," Leah tugged her sweater close around her large stomach, "Like I could ever get cold."

"Still, don't want to risk the little munchkin. Besides, I think you need some food."

"I do."

Leah wrapped her arms around herself, moving closer to Sam's comforting warmth. Breathing in the earthy smell of the breeze, she closed her eyes as she leaned her head against Sam's shoulder, thinking back on their conversation.

Maybe…just maybe…she was going to make it…as long as she had her family…her people…her pack around her.

She just wished the pain and constant aching she carried inside her would lessen…but she had a feeling it was something that she would carry with her…and she knew begging whoever controlled her life that the pain wouldn't get bigger would just single her out for worst luck.

Looking up at the sky as they reached her house, she watched as the half moon slowly made its way across the sky.

He was out there…looking up at the same moon, thinking about what he had lost instead of her.

Leah bit her lip, holding back her tears as she looked away from the moon…the one thing that tied him to her.

She couldn't help but wonder if it tied her to him in the same way.

Or if he had already forgotten about her and moved on.


	36. Chapter 35

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I know, I have all of you spoiled! Two chapters at once. If you would like the two chapters at once spoiling to continue, then send the reviews! I not only enjoy the praise, but I look forward to constructive criticism, ideas, questions, etc. I can take all you'd like to say, the negative along with the positive. Let me know how you like where this story is heading or if you think it should go another way.**

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

_Five Hours before the Full Moon_

Rick tossed the book aside, glowering out the window at the fading sun. In five hours, he was going to be out there, completely out of his mind, looking for her…always her.

Running his fingers through his hair, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with that part of him that he couldn't control once a month. It was as if Ileana hadn't meant anything to the wolf in him.

Then again, the wolf in him hadn't had a choice about Ileana as his mate…Rick had chosen Ileana as his wife, had fallen in love with her and lived for her.

He had always thought that in choosing Ileana, the wolf had chosen the she-wolf in her as well. But now…he understood his inner wolf had merely tolerated the situation during those years.

The wolf had simply accepted the she-wolf in Ileana during the full moons because she was the only one available for his need to possess and procreate.

Just the way Leah had been available for Rick to use as an escape from the aching loneliness that plagued him.

Shrugging his shoulders, Rick rolled his head, trying to ease the tension he seemed to have acquired since the day he asked Leah to leave.

It was driving him crazy, the constant seeking and wanting that was in the wolf, something he felt every night but overtook him on these full moon nights. He now had another reason to be wary of full moon nights.

It was painful to be encountered with an ache larger than his own the night after a full moon. Rick had never imagined a pain greater than what he carried could possibly exist, but that was what the wolf in him seemed to carry.

An aching pain to be with his chosen mate.

But had the wolf in him chosen his mate as he had chosen Ileana or was it a compulsory thing, like the imprinting business Leah had mentioned?

It didn't matter, Rick thought to himself as he stood up, walking out to his backyard to look up at the darkening sky, it didn't matter because he wasn't going to go after Leah. He could deal with the wolf once a month…what he couldn't deal with was the wolf's insistence in replacing Rick's chosen mate with his own.

Ileana had been the one to own his heart, the one he had chosen to give his heart and name to. She would continue to be the only one to have both.

* * *

_Nine Months Pregnant_

Leah bit her bottom lip, trying not to let any sound escape her as she slowly made her way down the stairs, one hand on the banister, the other at her lower back.

At the bottom step, she bent over, a hard breath escaping her as a band of pain made its way to her abdomen from her lower back. Panting, she closed her eyes, riding out the pain before she straightened up, making her way across the living room to her front door.

She closed the door quietly behind her, breathing in the fresh earthy scent of the night breeze before making her way down the porch steps, instinctively heading towards First Beach.

Stopping again, she bent over as another contraction squeezed her around the middle.

Breathing hard, she looked over her shoulder at the dark house behind her, wondering if her mother or Seth had heard her walk out of the house. It was late at night and although Leah knew she should have said something about the contractions, she somehow wasn't able to. Something compelled her to find her own way in this.

Several steps later, another contraction hit, this one painful enough the gasp escaped before she could stop it. Rubbing her hands over her stomach, she tried to control her breathing as she slowly made her way towards First Beach. She had to get there…she just had to.

The sound of crashing waves had a soothing effect on her as she slowly made her way towards them, breathing hard as another contraction hit.

Looking up at the full moon, she wondered if it was a sign, her contractions hitting just as the full moon appeared in the sky. She was afraid…afraid that if she gave birth to her baby while the full moon was still high up in the sky, her baby wouldn't be…well…a baby.

She didn't want Sam to know about Rick's…genetic differences, hadn't bothered to share any of it with him or the pack or her mother. None of them even knew his name. But if her baby was born while the full moon shined down on them, and if he was at all like his father, then she would have to explain why she was giving birth to a puppy.

No, Leah had to make sure she didn't birth her baby until dawn.

It was ridiculous, Leah knew this, but she didn't want to have to explain him. It had been hard enough when she last talked of him to Sam a month ago. She didn't want to have to do it again, not once her baby was born, once she no longer had him to keep her from falling into the waiting pit.

"Leah, what are you doing here?"

Gritting her teeth, she looked up to watch Sam as he walked over to her, the full moon high behind his head.

"It's a full moon," Leah sucked on her teeth, slowly sinking down to sit on the smooth log behind her, hugging her stomach with both arms.

"Yes, but that doesn't really matter for us," Sam moved around her to sit beside her, "You really shouldn't be out walking at night when you're so close to giving birth."

Nodding, Leah took a deep breath through her nose, trying not to be noisy or obvious about the painful contraction that seemed to rip through her, "Right."

Sam stared at her, his dark eyes narrowing as they moved over her pale face, drawn lines bracketing her mouth and the corner of her eyes. Taking in the tense way she held her body it suddenly dawned on him.

"You're already in labor, aren't you?"

"Just a little," Leah muttered through her teeth, her jaw clenching tight, "No big deal."

"No big deal," Sam stood up, shoving his fingers through his hair, "Leah, labor happens fast. We have to get you to a hospital."

"No," Leah shook her head in panic, "Not the hospital. I can't have my baby in a hospital."

"Why not," Sam gripped the back of his neck, "That's where babies are normally born!"

"I can't…Sam," Leah sucked in another breath, looking up into the sky, biting her bottom lip as she realized that her contractions were coming on faster than the waning full moon, "I can't."

"Alright, fine," Sam moved besides Leah, easily lifting her into his arms, "But you can't have the baby here on the beach. Let's go wake your mother."

"Sam," Leah dug her fingers into his shoulder, her body tight with the wracking pain of the incoming contraction, "Unless you want to deliver this baby halfway up the road to my house, you'll find somewhere else to take me."

"There's no way I am delivering your baby," Sam lengthen his strides as he moved up the beach, "Emily will know what to do."

Leah nodded vigorously, wishing she had gone to talk to Emily at some point during the five months she had been back to La Push.

It had been easier to let go of her feelings for Sam, hard or otherwise, than it had been to let go of the sense of betrayal when it came to Emily. But now, as she looked up at the full moon, she realized it had been nothing but pride.

Damn sickening pride.

Moaning as a contraction squeezed her, she watched with pain filled eyes as Sam's little house came in view, the living room light on.

"Sam…" a groan escaped as another contraction hit. They were coming too fast! "I have to tell you something."

"I don't think now's the time, Lee. Emily's already up. She'll be able to take care of you, okay?"

"Sam, listen to me," Leah moaned as Sam climbed up the porch steps, the front door opening to reveal a calm Emily, "My baby…his father –"

"Leah, you can tell me later."

"No! Emily…please," Leah groaned as Sam lowered her onto the bed in the spare bedroom, "He's not normal…the father…the full moon…oh God! It hurts!"

"Get some towels and blankets," Emily moved efficiently about the room, searching for what she needed as Leah gripped the headboard of the bed, her jaw clenched and body arched in pain, "Put some water to boil on the stove."

"Emily, please…please," Leah grabbed Emily's hand as Sam hurried out of the room, pulling her down towards her, "Listen…the baby…his father's not normal…he's a werewolf…but not like us. He changes…with the moon…every night…he can't control it…my baby…oh! I can't take this!"

"Leah," Emily pulled her hand out of Leah's tight grasp, brushing her hair away from her sweaty face, "I'm right here. If you want, I'll have Sam go get my mother and Aunt Rose –"

"No!" Leah shook her head, gripping the bed sheets, "No one else can know. Emily, my baby…he may be like his father…"

"It's okay Leah," Emily smiled down at her, calm and serene and not at all perturbed at what Leah had revealed, "I'll take care of you and the baby. You'll both be fine, okay?"

"I need to push, Em," Leah's breath came hard and fast as she pushed herself up onto her elbows. Emily moved to the foot of the bed, lifting up the long nightgown that Leah was wearing.

"Leah, you can't push yet," Emily brought down the nightgown to cover her, turning to take the blanket that Sam had along with the towels, "You still have a ways to go."

"Oh God," Leah groaned as she fell back onto the bed, "It feels like forever."

"It does, doesn't it," Emily chuckled as she bustled around the room, gently pushing Sam out of the room, "Imagine when you're giving birth to two of them."

"Oh God, Emily," Leah's panting breath echoed in the room as she watched Emily move around the room, "Twins is the last thing I want to think about. It's enough worrying about the possibility of giving birth to a puppy."

"You always wanted a puppy as a kid, remember," Emily checked to see the progress, calmly bringing down the blanket to cover her, "Now you may get your wish."

"Not funny, Em," Leah heaved a breath, trying to relax; "Will you please open the curtains?"

"Sure," Emily moved across the room, sweeping the navy and rose curtains open, "The moon's not as high up in the sky. We might get lucky."

Leah nodded her head, fervently hoping that Emily would be right.

* * *

_Hanover, New Hampshire_

Something was happening, something monumental. Whining, he moved around the forest, sniffing the ground and trees.

Where was she? A growl rose up his throat as he continued to move around in circles, picking up faint traces of her, of the last time she had been in these woods.

Where was she now? Something inside him told him she was in pain…in need of him.

Sniffing the air, he looked around, locking in on the full moon.

Sitting on his haunches, he threw his head back and howled, the mournful sound echoing throughout the forest.

His mate was out there, needing him…and he couldn't find a way to her.

The sorrow and pain, something he did not know how to define, crushed him, causing him to howl again.

He needed to find her…

He needed to take over…

He needed to win…

He needed her…

* * *

"It's a boy!"

Leah cried, watching Emily as she cut the umbilical cord, gently clearing her baby's nostrils and throat.

The lusty wail that filled the room made Leah ache with love as she pushed herself up, reaching out for her baby, which Emily wrapped in a soft blanket before handing him to her.

"He's a big boy," Emily whispered, brushing her fingers softly over the dark silk that covered the crown of his head, "Eight pounds, easy."

Leah's tired laugh filled Emily's heart with joy as she looked down at both of them, "No wonder it took me so long."

"Good thing we didn't have to pull out an eight pound puppy out of you," Emily sighed tiredly as she moved around the room, picking up towels and other stuff Leah didn't want to pay too close attention at.

Running her fingers over his silky hair, she studied his features, realizing that he looked nothing like his father. Instead, he seemed the spitting image of his Uncle Seth as a baby.

Softly kissing his forehead, she looked up at a soft knock, watching Sam come into the room and head directly to Emily, kissing her scarred cheek before turning to look down at her and the not so tiny bundle in her arms.

"That explains why you looked big enough for two," Sam chuckled at the glare she gave him as he bend down to look at the sleeping infant, "Looks like he's pretty tired after the long night."

"He hasn't even demanded to be fed yet," Leah whispered, running her finger down his tiny nose, "He looks just like Seth."

"Yeah, he does," Sam grinned at Leah as he gently touched a tiny fist, "He's a big boy."

"That's what Emily said," Leah smiled at her cousin before turning to Sam, "I was wondering if you and Emily…would like to be his godparents."

Sam straightened up as Emily stopped by his side, her large brown eyes bright with unshed tears. Sam wrapped his arm around his wife, smiling down at Leah, thanking her with his eyes, "I believe Emily and I would very much like to be his godparents."

"What are you going to name him," Emily asked softly as she took the offered baby from Leah's outstretched arms, sitting at the edge of the bed besides Leah, their hips touching as they both looked down at the infant.

Leah touched his softly rounded cheek, her heart swelling painfully with an achingly hot feeling she knew to be unconditional love.

"Gabriel…Gabriel Michael Clearwater."


	37. Chapter 36

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Hilja, you blow me away with your reviews! Thanks to everyone for giving so much support and appreciation for this story. It keeps Leah and Rick talking to me!**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

_One Year Later_

Leah laughed as she watched Seth throw her sturdy little boy up into the air, easily catching the laughing child before swinging him around and tossing him up again.

Sighing, she lifted her face to the sky, feeling the breeze moving through her hair, the waves crashing an echoing beat of her heart.

"Mama! Gabe fly!"

Opening her eyes, she beamed at her son, watching his little arms flail as Seth tossed him up again.

Gabriel Michael Clearwater…her bright light amidst the darkness of her soul.

The pain of not having her imprint was still there, but with little Gabe in her life, she was able to focus on something other than the aching emptiness resulting from being without the one who owned her soul.

Sighing, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her drawn up knees as she continued to watch Seth toss Gabe up into the air.

"Seth, you're going to make him sick," Leah called out, laughing as Gabe stumbled on the seashore after Seth put him down, "See what I mean? Poor kid is barely learning how to walk and you're already trying to get him to fly."

"Someday he will," Seth laughed as he helped his nephew stand up again, "Well, as close as you can get to flying on four legs."

Leah laughed again as Gabe turned towards her, his little arms spread wide open as he called out to her.

"Mama! Come play!"

Pushing herself to her feet, she ran over to him, easily picking him up and holding him securely in her arms as she continued to run towards the crashing waves, Gabe squealing all the way.

* * *

Seth gave out a shout before running after his sister and nephew, his laughter harmonizing with theirs.

Seth couldn't help the need to shout again, happiness and gratitude overwhelming him.

Although the sorrow was still there in his sister's eyes, she no longer moped around. Instead, she was constant smiles and laughter, all thanks to the little boy in her arms.

He and his mother weren't the only ones that loved that little boy to distraction due to what he had brought back to Leah. The entire pack doted on him, along with Sam's twins and Jared's little girl, but out of all four, Gabe was truly special to all of them.

He had resurrected the old happy Leah…a little worse for wear but happy and peaceful over her place in life.

She was blissfully content at being Gabe's mother. It was obvious to all of them that he had complete ownership of her heart.

Easily scooping Leah and Gabe into his arms, Seth gave another shout of victory as he raced into the waves, all three laughing with complete abandonment.

Leah was back to normal.

Gabe was the joy of her life.

And no one was going get through him or the pack and change that.

* * *

Full moon…another night searching for his mate.

This night was different though…because he knew…he had fought hard…he had fought dirty…

And he had won.

He would soon find her…be with her…and never again be separated from her.


	38. Chapter 37

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: As promised, amazing reviews results in two chapter updates! I am two chapters ahead so far, due to the fast flow of ideas for this story. In fact, I already have a glimmer of the end in my head, but now worries, that's still a ways off. Please enjoy and review! I welcome criticism as well as praise.**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

The sun was rising, tainting the sky gold, pink and purple.

It was a beautiful dawning, a moment of solitude to be enjoyed.

Seth was in the woods, teaching Gabe about trees and rocks and other such stuff. Her sunrise walks were moments Seth took to spend alone time with his nephew, teaching him "manly" things, as he liked to brag to her.

For Leah, it was a win-win situation. She got an hour or two alone to commute with the ocean, her closest friend, and her son got time with his favorite uncle.

Brushing her fingers through her chin length hair, she sighed, closing her eyes as the breeze moved around her, bringing with it a strong earthy scent that reminded her of that night, long ago.

The night she had looked into a pair of light blue eyes belonging to a sand colored wolf and had almost lost it thinking she had actually imprinted on a real wolf. He had had none of the human characteristics that she and her pack exhibited. That had explained the shock of waking up next to a male –an honest to goodness human male.

Biting her lip, Leah tried to focus her thoughts away from him, to think about anything else. Like her job at the rez clinic, which she enjoyed in a way she hadn't back when she first worked there. It was especially enjoyable that she was able to take her son with her to work and not be separated from him.

Her son…a smile spread across her face as she heard his far off little boy laughter. Gabe enjoyed his "Unca Eth" as much as his uncle enjoyed him.

Opening her eyes, she watched the sun slowly rise, the fiery orange ball backlighting the pine trees of the forest, turning the ocean into glittery gold.

Relaxed, she hugged her arms to herself, shifting her weight, suddenly freezing in place as a sound that was not part of her surroundings crashed into her peaceful mood.

Her body tingling, Leah screwed her eyes shut, breathing deeply through her nose, her teeth biting down hard on her bottom lip until she tasted blood.

She knew…she knew that when she turned around, it would all come back to her. The pain, the agony, the sweet aching need of acceptance.

Her soul, her entire reason for existing was standing behind her, his eyes moving over her. She knew with all certainty and without the need to look that this was true.

What she didn't know was if it was a good thing he had come looking for her…

Or if it was a second opportunity for the dark pit to finally claim her.

* * *

Rick felt shock, along with a rush of lust, slam into him at what he was seeing.

The Leah that stood before him, her back to him, was as different from the one that left New Hampshire almost two years ago as night was from day.

She still had the height, the long long legs that had driven him out of his mind. But where she had been narrow, she now had curves.

The slender Leah he vividly remembered touching and kissing and possessing was now all luscious curves.

Diana, the goddess of the hunt had turned into Hera, the goddess of passion.

* * *

Sam stopped mid run, sniffing the air as he turned towards First Beach. Calling out to the others, he moved quickly and quietly, not wanting to be heard.

Someone had invaded his turf and Sam had no intention of letting him stay longer than it took to toss him out.

* * *

Stepping out of the forest with a tired out Gabe in his arms, Seth quickly zeroed in on the two still figures standing near the seashore.

Without question, one of them was his sister…who was emitting waves of tension and apprehension.

Which meant that the stranger standing a few steps behind her couldn't be anyone else but the one person he had hoped would never show up.

Picking up his steps, he watched as Leah slowly turned to face him, her arms tight around herself.

He had to hurry, before something was said that would splinter the life Leah had been enjoying since Gabe was born.

* * *

"Leah."

Her breath caught in her chest at the sound of his voice, trembling with the desire to throw herself into his arms, to give into the all abiding need of him.

But not this time.

She didn't know why he was here but she had to be strong. She had her baby to think of. She was not going to give him everything as she once had before…no matter how impossible or painful it would be.

At the touch of his hand on her shoulder, she turned, taking a step back, fighting the need to please as she looked into his face, biting the inside of her cheek as she took a deep breath.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came…" Rick looked over her shoulder, his eyebrows drawing into a vee, "Looking for you."

"Well, now that you found her, you can leave."

Leah looked over her shoulder at Seth, who was standing behind her, an uncharacteristically shy Gabe hiding his face in Seth's neck, occasionally casting glimpses at Rick.

Tucking Gabe higher onto his chest, Seth placed an arm around Leah's shoulders, pulling her closer to his side.

"Seth…" Leah took a deep breath, fighting hard against the compulsion to defend her imprint and losing, "Please…don't be rude."

"Rude," Seth scoffed as he continued to glare at the tall lean man before him, thinking it would be a piece of cake to teach him a lesson…without having to phase, "Believe me when I say that was not rude."

Brushing her hand over her face, she looked at Rick, seeing the question in his eyes. There was a level of…uncertainty present in the way he looked at her, something Leah couldn't ignore.

"This is my brother Seth," Leah bit her bottom lip as Rick zeroed in on Gabe who at that moment decided to look at this stranger eye to eye…eyes that mirrored each other; identical light blue eyes that were the only feature her son had gotten from his father, "And this is Gabriel…my son."

"Son…" Rick exhaled, his facial features frozen into a mask of shock as he slowly reached out to touch Gabriel, as if to reassure himself of the reality of the little blue eyed boy before him.

A large hand clamped around his wrist, pulling him back before he could touch Gabriel, forcing him to stumble back as large body after large body moved between him and Leah and her son…his son.

He was a father.

* * *

"Tell me how you found your way here," Sam moved to stand in front of Seth and Gabe, letting go of the stranger's wrist as the rest of the pack moved into a tight circle, Leah hidden away in the center, "Because if it turns out Jacob told you where Leah was, I'm going to personally hand his ass to him…along with yours."

Rick's jaw clenched as he looked over the large man before him, instinctively knowing that this was the Alpha of Leah's pack, therefore the man Leah had once loved and mourned.

"For you to think Jacob would say anything to me means you don't know him all that well," Rick arched an eyebrow, his body tense with the sudden desire to beat the crap out of Sam.

The wolf in him strained to exert his own Alpha rights, as well as his rights as Leah's mate, while the man in him wanted to bury his fist into the face of the man that had once been everything to Leah.

Sam's impassive face transformed as he snarled at Rick, picking up on unspoken challenges that only they could understand, although the rest of the pack felt it.

"You're right," Sam took a step forward, growling deep in his throat when Rick stood his ground, "Jacob wouldn't betray the pack that way. But it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that I want you off my land…now."

Rick took a step forward, nearly coming nose to nose with Sam. Even though Rick was lean and Sam was all muscle, they were both similarly tall, giving neither the advantage to look down on the other, "Not without Leah and my son."

"You gave up your rights to both of them when you rejected Leah," Sam arched an eyebrow, wondering how far he could go in kicking this asshole's ass without causing too much pain to Leah, "It's been over a year…she doesn't need you. So go back to where you came from and don't ever come back."

"You'd love it if it were that easy, wouldn't you," Rick smiled at Sam, wondering what he could say to provoke him into a fight, "But I'm not going anywhere."

Sam growled, his hold on his temper snapping.

The fist came fast and unexpected, which was why they all gasped in surprise when Rick stopped it, wrapping his hand around Sam's fist before it made contact with his face.

"Please," Leah tried to push through Collin and Brady, sighing in frustration when they wouldn't let her through, "Sam, please don't. Please…just leave."

"You want us to leave," Sam turned to give her a look of surprise, "To actually leave you here alone with him after what he did to you?"

"No," Leah turned to look at Rick, looking into the blue eyes whose clones had looked up at her with love and adoration for the past year, reminding herself that her son was all she needed and wanted, "I want you to leave."

Rick stood still as Leah turned towards her brother, taking the quiet little boy in her arms before she walked away, never looking over her shoulder. Seth gave him a look of loathing before he turned to follow after his sister, the rest of the pack following suit one by one until only he and Sam were left.

"Looks like she made her choice," Sam taunted him, a small smile on his face, "Just like you made yours seventeen months ago. Now you get to live with the consequences."

"Tell me," Rick looked Sam over, his face sporting a smile of disdain, "How can you look her in the eye after what you did to her?"

Sam's dark eyes narrowed a bit before he took a step back, "The question is how can you come looking for her after the way you treated her."

Rick stood still as Sam turned his back to him, walking away with an easygoing grace that belied the thick tension that seemed to connect them both.

Turning to look at the gilded ocean waves, he sighed. He had come looking for Leah because the wolf in him had given him no peace, day or night.

An entity that was usually dormant except on full moon nights had found a way to be heard, his constant demands to be with his mate grating on Rick, finally wearing down on his stubbornness.

He had simply come for Leah to make his inner wolf shut up.

But now…now he had found out he had a son. The next generation to a unique breed of werewolves that had practically gone extinct.

Rick was no longer the only one of his kind…he had a son.

A son he, Rick, meant to claim as his own and raise as his own no matter what it took.

Even if it meant romancing Leah into believing that he had deep feelings for her.

That should make the wolf happy.

All Rick cared about, what would make him happy, was Gabriel…his son.


	39. Chapter 38

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Once again, thank you for the reviews! I have hit over a hundred reviews on this story, which is great! Keep them coming 'cause I'd like to hit +200 by the time this story ends! As promised, this is a two chapter update! I keep my end of the promise as long as y'all keep reviewing!**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Seth stuffed the sleeping bag into its carrier, one fist at a time as he mentally went over the list of what they needed for their once a month campout.

Thinking back on that first full moon night with his nephew, Seth couldn't hold back the chuckle as he recalled his initial reaction

"_Leah!" _

_Seth tried not to panic as he kept his eyes glued to the crib, positive he had somehow lost his mind when he wasn't paying attention to it, "Leah!"_

"_Seth," Leah called out as she came down the hall, "You're going to wake up the baby hollering like that."_

"_That's the thing," Seth looked towards the door as his sister walked in, "There's no baby."_

"_What," Leah rushed across the room towards the crib._

"_It's a puppy," Seth watched his sister gently pick up the wiggling russet colored puppy, her face a mask of shock and wonderment._

"_I swear I had nothing to do with it. In fact, when I find out who did it, I'll kick his ass."_

"_What are you talking about," Leah asked softly as she cradled the puppy in her arms._

"_One of the guys in the pack must have thought it funny to switch my nephew for a puppy."_

"_Seth," Leah smiled at him as she moved closer, "This is your nephew."_

_Seth stared at Leah, rethinking his insanity theory. It was obvious he hadn't lost his mind…his sister had._

"_No," Seth looked down at the puppy before looking into Leah's dancing eyes, "My nephew does not have a tail."_

_Leah laughed, causing the puppy to look around for the source of laughter, its' light blue eyes blinking._

"_What your nephew has is a genetic abnormality," Leah moved towards the bed, sitting down as she rubbed the puppy's head, "Which he inherited from his father. Normally, transformations happen every night but it is the night of the full moon when the wolf takes complete control of the shared mentality with the man. I had hoped Gabe had somehow been spared but obviously not."_

"_But this is the first time he's transformed," Seth sat next to his sister, gently taking the snuffling puppy from her._

"_Yes," Leah looked out her window, "It's a full moon. I suppose he might just transform on full moon nights."_

"_Uh," Seth lifted the puppy eye to eye, chuckling when it licked his nose, "We have a puppy."_

"_Once a month. And only at night."_

"_Until he hits puberty and vamps move into town," Seth stood up, tucking the puppy against his chest, "But by then, he won't be a puppy. Come on."_

"_Where are we going," Leah followed her brother down the hall._

"_Camping," Seth tossed her a teasing grin over his shoulder, "I have no intention of letting my nephew be an inside dog."_

Seth looked up as the little whirlwind he claimed as his nephew ran into the room, slamming into his legs.

"Unca Seth," Gabe yelled at the top of his lungs, which was his normal speaking volume despite Leah and mom's attempts at teaching him to use his inside voice, "Camping! Gabe go now!"

"I don't know if your mom's ready," Seth zipped close the duffel bag, staying in one place since Gabe had both arms wrapped around his legs.

"Now! Go now!"

"Alright you little terror," Seth pulled him off, easily tossing him over his shoulder in a fireman's hold as he grabbed the duffel bag and sleeping bag carrier, "Let's go find your mom."

Gabe laughed, his little legs swinging against his chest. Heading down the stairs, Seth laughed as Gabe tried to tickle his sides with his little fingers, "You keep that up and I'm going to swing you upside down."

"Swing! Swing!"

Gabe slapped his little hands against his uncle's back.

Pulling him off his shoulder, Seth easily hung him upside down, keeping a secure hold on his ankles.

Gabe let out a belly laugh, letting his arms swing with the rest of his body.

"Leah," Seth called out as he walked into the living room, "This little pest is ready to go. Are you?"

Seth stopped to stare at his sister, whom had yet to acknowledge having heard either one of them, "Leah?"

"Mhm," Leah kept her eyes on the window, her body tense, her face drawn.

Seth sighed, gently dropping Gabe onto the couch. He just knew his sister was thinking of –hold on. He didn't even know the asshole's name!

"Mama?" Gabe scrambled off the couch, throwing himself against Leah's knees, "Gabe go!"

Leah turned to look at him, brushing her fingers over his downy soft cheek, "Ready to go munchkin?"

"Yes!"

Leah snickered, pulling Gabe onto her lap. Gabe laughed as Leah buzzed his cheek, "Then let's go."

"Yay!"

Seth laughed as Gabe scrambled off his mother's lap, heading towards the closed front door, something they had started doing soon after Gabe had learned to walk…well, run. Gabe never walked.

"You okay, Lee," Seth moved towards his sister, reaching out to push her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah," Leah stood up, looking out the window, "It's just…"

Seth looked out the window, noting the darkening sky, "How about I head out with Gabe and you catch up? You're obviously preoccupied about something."

"No, I just…" Leah glanced at her son, who was banging his hands against the wooden door, "It's not…I don't know Seth. I shouldn't care but…"

"He's your imprint," Seth hugged her, dropping a kiss on her head, "It's understandable that you care."

"I shouldn't…I really shouldn't," Leah buried her face against his chest, her shoulders shaking as tears soaked into his t-shirt, "its not fair Seth. He doesn't care. I don't know why he's here. I don't want him here…but I do need him."

Seth tightened his arms around her, swearing to himself the next time he saw the asshole, he was going to kick his ass for making his sister cry…again, "I hate imprinting. I hope it never happens to me."

Leah giggled, a hiccup escaping her, "Imprinting is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."

Kissing her forehead, Seth stepped back, smiling down at her, "I'll take Gabe. He's about to break down the door and in a couple of hours, he just might be able to. Catch up with us when you're ready."

Leah nodded, crouching down, "Come give me a kiss, munchkin."

Gabe ran over, kissing his mother on the mouth, wiggling against her tight hug, "Mama! Gabe go now!"

Seth laughed as he opened the front door, catching Gabe by the neck of his t-shirt, "Not so fast tornado," he bend over and wrapped an arm around his waist, lifting him up football style, "Now we can go."

Leah stood by the window, watching with a smile as Seth headed towards the woods, her son laughing with arms and legs spread out.

She leaned her head against the cool glass, trying to discern the uneasy feeling that had caused her to hesitate in joining her son and brother on their monthly camping trips.

Releasing another sigh, she stepped outside, closing her eyes as she breathed in the strong earthy scent the breeze carried from the direction of the woods.

She instinctively knew he was out there, in wolf form, looking for her, acting purely on an inborn animal level.

She also knew that some of her pack was out there, doing their nightly rounds, keeping possible intruders from entering their lands.

Watching the sky get darker and the full moon brighter, Leah shivered, pulling her t-shirt and jeans off.

Something told her if she didn't hurry, a tragedy could possible occur.

Nothing new being that her whole life seemed to be one tragedy after another but if she could stop this one, then she had to give it her best.

Running towards the woods, letting the imprint pull guide her, she felt the familiar heat move up her spine, welcoming it as her body phased to its alter ego, the breeze ruffling the sable brown fur, the hot dirt velvety under her paws as she broke out into a full run.

The howls resonating throughout the reservation made the fur on her nape stand on end.

She may already be too late.


	40. Chapter 39

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's the second chapter updated! All of you enjoy! And review! Teaser...I already have the next two chapters completed. If I get fifteen reviews by tomorrow, I'll update them! **

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

She was close…yet not close enough. Her scent was everywhere…and the further east he headed, the stronger the scent got.

The rumbling growl deep in his throat turned into an outward snarl as he picked up another scent.

This one, instead of beaconing to him, challenged him. He instinctively knew that the owner of this offensive scent was what stood between him and his mate.

He had fought too hard and too long to let this new opponent stand in his way of claiming what belonged to him.

Having already brought down the major roadblock to his being with his mate, he had no qualms at taking down this next one.

Nothing was going to get in his way of claiming his mate.

* * *

Sam felt the self-satisfied pleasure fill him as he sniffed the air, knowing exactly where this new intruder, claiming the rights of an Alpha, had entered his land.

Letting out a howl, he stretched out his body, going into a flat out run, having a lot of ground to cover before he reached the new threat.

Sam had a pack to protect, family to care for but more specifically, he had a position to defend.

**Paul:**_ Sam, what are you doing?_

**Sam: **_I'm heading off the asshole before he finds Leah._

**Brady: **_Alone? Do you think that's smart? The guy obviously wants to kick your ass._

**Sam: **_Sounds like you doubt your Alpha's abilities, Brady._

**Brady: **_No, of course not. It's just that…well…_

**Collin: **_He moved pretty fast when you tried to punch him. And Leah said he doesn't think like a human during the full moon._

**Sam:**_ In all honesty, I think that was just a lucky move. Besides, I not only have instinct like he, but I also have human logic. _

**Paul: **_I know you can kick his ass, Sam. Just don't kill him. I have a hard enough time dealing with Leah's pain over this jackass. Having him dead, well, that'll just bring all of us down._

**Sam: **_I don't know how Leah has managed, but she has been able to live a good happy life for the past year. I plan on keeping it that way. _

Sam broke through the trees, finding the large lean wolf standing a few feet away, his ears flat on his head, fur standing on end.

Sam growled, slowly stalking forward. It was obvious that the jackass was spoiling for a fight.

**Sam: **_No matter what, none of you are allowed to get involved. This is between me and this asshole._

**Simultaneous Response: **_Whatever you say._

Sam continued to stalk forward, baring his teeth as he lowered his head in a challenge. He was going to give him a good thrashing, just teach him a thing or two about him coming into his lands as if he had a right.

The sandy haired wolf moved to the side, initiating the ritual of circling each other before the attack. It was just a matter of who took the first lunge.

Sam's muscles bunched, preparing to lunge at him when a sable brown blur came in view, sliding effortlessly into place between him and the asshole.

**Leah:** _Sam, you can't do this. _

**Sam:**_ Leah, this has nothing to do with you. Well, maybe just a little. But it's mostly due to him trying to butt into my land._

**Leah:**_ Spare me the Alpha crap. He's my imprint Sam. It doesn't matter how much he's hurt me, I can't let you hurt him._

**Sam:**_ Fine. Then he needs to leave. Can you make him understand that?_

Leah turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes widening at the look in the wolf's eyes. Without thinking, she lowered herself to her stomach, placing her head on her paws in a submissive gesture. Closing her eyes, she felt the vibrations on the ground as he moved to stand over her, his body tense as he kept his eyes on Sam.

**Sam:** _How can you let him treat you like that? Like you're his…possession?_

**Leah:** _It's in the nature of the wolf to lay claim to what he wants, whether its land, food or…a mate._

**Paul:**_ Obviously, the wolf has no problem with the imprinting. _

**Sam: **_Apparently not._

**Brady:**_ Seems to me like it's the man that's the problem. Maybe you can wait until the sun comes up and beat the crap out of him._

**Leah: **_No! You can't touch either one of him._

Leah had stood up in protest, immediately lowering herself when, with a growl, he closed his jaws gently behind the scruff of her neck, letting her know he did not want her to interfere. Lowering her head to the ground again, she closed her eyes when he licked her ear, as if thanking her for giving him his place as her mate.

She could feel his heat soaking into her back, his large paws bracketing hers as he lifted his head again to look at Sam, as if daring him to get in between them. Wanting to bang her head against something hard, she wondered if she would ever appreciate the irony of this situation.

The wolf in Rick had obviously chosen her as his mate, had probably found a way to push Rick into coming after her. That was why he was here. Because the wolf had insisted. Sighing, she wondered if there was any amiable solution to all this.

It was sad, really, but she preferred the wolf's company to Rick's. Despite the wolf's dominating attitude, Leah definitely liked him better. But she couldn't make a life with just half of Rick. She wanted all of him, as selfish as that may seem.

Sighing, she looked at Sam without lifting her head.

**Leah: **_Please Sam. Just go. I'll be fine._

**Sam: **_Alright. Just remember…Seth is still in the woods and can get me if you need anything. Lee…I hope you know what you're doing._

**Leah: **_I hope I do too._

Leah watched as one by one, the pack turned away, Sam giving the wolf one last glance, an unspoken warning that seemed to make the wolf mad. Tensing her muscles, she readied herself to interfere if he lunged towards Sam, but he didn't move from where he stood, directly over her crouched form.

Letting out a breath once they were out of sight and out of mind, Leah tensed herself for what may happen next.

She definitely didn't want a repeat of the first encounter she had had with the wolf.

* * *

Letting out a breath, he looked down at her, feeling an expanding emotion inside him that made him want to howl and wiggle with joy.

Instead, he settled with burying his nose into her neck, breathing in her rich scent as he lowered himself on top of her, covering her completely, holding her near him.

All he wanted was to feel her next to him.

Resting his large head over hers, he moved his paws over hers, moving closer to her as he closed his eyes.

His mate was with him, right there next to him.

He could sleep through this full moon.

* * *

_Morning After_

Rick stretched, feeling the soreness of having slept on the forest ground.

Groaning, he pushed himself to a sitting position, brushing the forest ground off his bareback.

Rolling his shoulders, he heaved a breath, combing back his hair with his fingers, wondering what had happened that night.

He looked around as that feeling of anxiety and need filled him. Without remembering, it was obvious that the wolf had had company last night.

Looking closely at the ground, he noticed scuffs and marks that signaled the presence of another being.

Leah had been there, with him…well, the wolf.

Where was she now?


	41. Chapter 40

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I know, it's early in the morning so I shouldn't hold it against y'all that I have gotten eight reviews only when I asked for fifteen. But since I did get eight reviews since I updated yesterday, I am going to go ahead and update this next chapter. I may even think about updating the next one right after but not sure yet. Thanks for the reviews!**

**Chapter Forty**

Emily moved around the kitchen table, wrapping an arm around Leah to hold her back, "You need to stop banging your head against my kitchen table. You're going to give yourself a brain aneurysm."

Pushing her fingers through her hair, Leah lowered her head, wanting to give it one last hard bang, "I'm so stupid Em. Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could I have spent the night with him? Why am I so willing to, once again, tear out my heart and hand it to him?"

Emily moved to sit on the chair next to her cousin, keeping a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Lee, I'm assuming the one you spent the night with was your imprint?"

"Of course," Leah leaned her head back, covering her face with her hands, "How ridiculous am I? I mean, it's not like it's going to help that the wolf seems to have chosen me as a mate. I can stay wolf twenty-four seven but he can't. So what am I suppose to do during the day? Let his rejection flay me alive until the night comes around? And even then, it's only during the full moon that the wolf has complete control. Any other night, it's Rick that's there, still in love with someone else, still wanting nothing from me. Tell me if that's not being stupid Em. Tell me."

"Lee, imprinting is…it can be hell," Emily touched her cousin's reddened forehead, wincing simultaneously with her.

"It wasn't for you and Sam," Leah shook her head, angrily wiping the tears that escaped, "You want to know why I let him treat me like his personal whore? I thought, since he was my imprint, it would all fall into place. He would love me. Everything I had suffered at that point didn't matter anymore…because I had finally found the reason for my existence…my gravity."

"It's understandable Leah. It's hard to deny your imprint –"

"You don't understand," Leah turned to look at Emily, her brown-green eyes bright with unshed tears, "I hated myself every time he touched me…because I was sacrificing who I was to meet his needs. He needed me to…to forget, for physical pleasure…and I made myself into that. That's not the kind of girl I am. I was once strong, Em. Even in my weakest moment I was strong. I fought like hell for what I wanted, for what I lost, but when he came along…I just rolled over. Literally and figuratively."

Emily watched silently as Leah lowered her head, her shoulders shaking with the heart-wrenching sobs that she couldn't hold back anymore. Her eyes filling up with empathy and compassion, she reached out and tugged Leah off the chair and onto her lap, wrapping her arms around her, their heads resting against each other.

Having been a year older than Leah, Emily had long comforted Leah in this manner. It felt almost overwhelming to be able to comfort her once again.

Rubbing her back, she leaned back to look into Leah's wet blotchy face, giving her a tender smile, "You're a strong woman, Leah. Stronger than most. You've gone through hell, have been hurt so many times and in so many ways, and you're still standing. Most important Lee…you're not alone. You've never been alone. I know it seems impossible but he will come around. It truly is impossible to turn away from the level of adoration and commitment that is involved in being an imprint. You just have to keep being strong. Remember, a part of him, obviously a very strong part of him, wants you with him. With time, the other part will too."

"Time," Leah sighed, wiping her nose on her sleeve, "Patience is something I've never been good at. I guess I could…but I don't want to hurt anymore Em. I don't think I could survive another broken heart."

Emily didn't know what to say, recalling the empty look in Sam's eyes the day she had searched him out after being released from the hospital. She knew, without a doubt, that what Leah said was true.

This time around, she wouldn't make it.

* * *

Seth somehow knew where to find him, which was good. He wouldn't have to waste too much time looking for him.

The early morning breeze carried with it the scent of salt water and fresh dirt.

He'd already dropped off a tired out Gabe with his mother, who had explained that Leah had yet to return home.

First Beach came into view, the rising sun highlighting the lone figure standing by the sea shore, the waves breaking over his feet.

Moving quickly towards him, he watched as the asshole turned, crossing his arms over his chest. Seth couldn't help the sudden urge to kill the ass but he refrained, simply deciding to give him a good beating on behalf of his sister.

"You made my sister cry," Seth held himself in check, wondering why he didn't just straight out punch this ass in the face.

"Did you confront Sam when he made your sister cry," he arched an eyebrow, recalling the morning that he'd seen both Leah and Jacob phase. If this kid did the same, he didn't stand a chance.

"What Sam did to my sister is nothing compared to what you did," Seth shifted his weight, looking his opponent over, "What you did goes against nature."

Cocking his head to the side, he wondered how much Leah had told him about the first time they met, "I had my reasons, none of which I need to explain to you…any of you."

Seth felt the anger grow, the heat starting to climb up his back. Reining it in, he hauled back and punched him, clipping him on the jaw with a solid right back, Rick shook his head, watching as the boy rushed him. Stepping to the side, Rick stuck out his foot, easily tripping him.

Picking himself up, Seth turned and hauled back another punch, surprised when the asshole grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm behind his back before pushing him away.

Spinning around, Seth rushed him again, bending over when the asshole punched him on the stomach.

Looking up, Seth narrowed his eyes.

He had been wrong…it wasn't going to be easy. But Seth was going to get in a few hits of his own, no matter what or how long it took.

* * *

Leah sighed, rubbing her forehead as she walked up the stairs towards her room.

Heading into the room, she walked up to the crib, looking in. She smiled as she looked at her sleeping baby, his little arms and legs splayed out as was his custom. Rubbing his tummy, she felt that hot emotion throb in her heart as he stretched and sighed.

Full moon nights were tiring for him, mostly because Seth enjoyed showing him how to get around the woods, how to hunt, how to track, how to patrol. There was something beautiful about watching her little brother and her baby communicate in such an elemental way.

Leaning down, she kissed his chubby cheek before heading back downstairs, sighing as she wondered what to make for dinner. As a thank you to her mother for baby-sitting Gabe on the mornings after the full moon while Leah was at work, Leah took over dinner preparations so that her mother could spend alone time with Charlie.

Being that she had to make sure she had all necessary ingredients for whatever she decided to make, Leah always decided what to make for dinner before heading to work.

Walking into the kitchen, she stopped, her jaw dropping at the sight before her.

"Seth! What the hell happened to you?"

"Nothing," Seth looked up from the kitchen sink, where he had been washing the bruises and cuts on his face, "Just some misunderstanding."

"With what," Leah moved towards the refrigerator, pulling out ice cubes to make an ice pack, "A rock wall?"

"Just a run in with the asshole," Seth shrugged, wincing as a sharp pain ran up his back, "What happened to your forehead?"

"I banged it against a kitchen table," Leah pulled out a washcloth, dumping several ice cubes into it, "Rick did this to you?"

"Is that his name," Seth groaned when Leah placed the ice pack against his swollen bottom lip, "I've gotten used to thinking of him as the asshole."

"I can't believe he did this," Leah looked at her brother's swollen face, seeing the obvious healing but still shocked at what she was hearing, "Why would he do this to you?"

Seth shrugged, moving over to sit on the kitchen table, "Why were you banging your head against the kitchen table?"

"Don't change the subject," Leah grabbed another towel, dabbing at a bleeding cut above his eyebrow, "What the hell happened?"

"What the hell happened," Seth looked up at his sister, "You never told me the ass had a black belt."

"I didn't know," Leah shook her head, watching the cut over his eyebrow disappear.

"Well, he does," Seth dropped the ice pack onto the kitchen table, "He's got some freaking awesome moves. Needless to say, I may have lost the fight but I got some good hits in."

Leah snarled, heading out of the house, letting the imprint pull take her where he was…which was still at First Beach.

It was time for him to see the real Leah.

* * *

Rick stopped dabbing at his bleeding lip, watching Leah storm towards him, her eyes glittering with anger.

Surprised at the admiration he felt for this angry Leah, something he had never seen before, he waited for her to speak first.

"How dare you hit my brother," Leah stood a few feet away from him, the breeze moving her chin length hair around her face, her cheeks blossoming red in anger, "He's just a kid."

"Just a kid," Rick laughed, quickly stopping as pain shot across his swollen jaw, "The guy's a huge monster."

Without thinking, Leah reared back and slapped him across the face, freezing in shock as he slowly turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Staring back at him, she couldn't believe she had just physically hurt him. It seemed almost impossible for her to have done that to her imprint but in her defense, she had a little brother to stand up for.

Rick rubbed his sore jaw, his light blue eyes locked on hers. Minutes passed in silence before he smiled.

"You're beautiful when you're angry," Rick moved his jaw, wincing at the pain but thankful it wasn't broken, "Anybody ever tell you that?"

Leah took a step back, trying to gather her scattered wits before responding, "No. What are you doing here Rick?"

"I already told you that…yesterday. My turn to ask a question…why did you leave this morning?"

"How did you –" Leah took another step back, shaking her head, "The wolf is the reason you're here, isn't it?"

"He's in my head…all the time," Rick gnawed a bit on the inside of his cheek before meeting Leah's eyes, "But that's not the only reason. I…I've missed you."

Leah bit her lip, her eyes shining with tears before she swallowed hard, "I'm sure what you missed any other girl would be willing to give it to you. Please just leave, Rick."

"Leah, wait," Rick reached out, taking her wrist before she walked off, "Please. Give me a chance. I've…I've realized that I…have…deeper feelings for you. I don't know what but I'd like to get to know you. Have you get to know me. I…I want…I want to fall…in love…with you."

Leah stood still, looking into his blue eyes, searching for anything that may give her a hint of what he was thinking.

"Please Leah," Rick reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her eyebrow, "I need you to give me another chance. Please."

Leah fought it, wanted to say no, needed to say no. It was a matter of self-protection…something told her to avoid him at all costs. She had to…she shouldn't…

Stepping closer, Rick leaned into her, the tip of his nose brushing hers as he whispered, "Please. Just one more try."

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't look away. She shouldn't…

"Okay."


	42. Chapter 41

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Okay, since I've been spoiling y'all with two chapter updates, here's the next one. Besides, I'm so excited as to how these chapters are turning out that I can't hold back sharing them with you now that they're complete. Hope y'all enjoy them! And remember to review!**

**Chapter Forty-One**

"I don't like it, Em. It's stupid. This is stupid. Does she even know what she's doing? If she would just let me throw the arrogant ass off my fucking land," Sam grabbed a ceramic plate from the table, throwing it against the kitchen wall, "I don't trust his uppity ass. Not when it comes to Leah."

Emily took the second plate Sam had picked up, glad that the twins were spending a few hours with their grandmother Linda, "Throwing my plates isn't going to resolve your issues with Leah's imprint."

"Issues? Issues?" Sam shoved his fingers through his hair, "Issues are what I have against Paul when he won't stop thinking obscene thoughts about Rachel. This guy…I can't stand him."

"Sam," Emily turned towards the stove, stirring the beef stew she was making, "Is this about the whole Alpha thing or about Leah?"

"Both…either one…does it matter?" Sam pulled out a chair, scuffing the kitchen tile with the force he used dragging the chair out, "This guy…he's not good for Leah. It's been a week since he's been here and it's been that long since she's smiled. Truly smiled the way she's been doing before he showed up."

"She's nervous, Sam," Emily turned to look at him before checking the rising dough in the covered bowl, "Obviously, she's scared of getting hurt again. But he's willing to try. To get to know her…he wants to fall in love with her."

"So he says," Sam slumped on the chair, "But I don't trust him…none of us do. And this includes Leah."

"I was wondering why she was avoiding him after she agreed to give him another chance," Emily walked around the table, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, "We can give him a hand Sam."

"What," Sam turned to look at her, his eyes widening in surprise, "What the hell are you talking about Em?"

"We can help him fall in love with her," Emily rubbed her index finger over the deep furrow between his eyebrows, "It's not as crazy as it sounds."

"No," Sam shook his head, taking her hand in his, "Its absolute insanity. Help him fall in love with her? The only help I want to give him is showing him the way off my land."

"Come on, Sam," Emily moved around the chair and sat on his lap, "Tell me, why did you fall in love with Leah?"

"Emily."

"Tell me."

Sam sighed, wrapping his arms around his wife, his eyes focusing on some far off memory, "I…fell for Leah because she was sweet…funny…smart. She was kind, with an amazingly big heart. She was completely devoted to her little brother, her parents. She had this…unique way of looking at things. Her sarcasm…it got me every time. But most of all, Em…she had the most beautiful smile I've ever seen in a girl…until you, that is."

"There's no need for you to reassure me, Sam," Emily kissed his forehead, "I know you love me. And I know you loved Leah. How could you not? She was the best friend a girl could ever ask for in a cousin. She was my soul sister. It hurt when I lost her. And…I haven't stopped rejoicing since I got her back. We need to help Rick see her as we do."

"Rick…God…" Sam frowned, his arms tightening around Emily, "Can't we just call him the asshole?"

"No," Emily dropped a kiss on Sam's mouth, "You have to be nice."

"I have to?" Sam cocked an eyebrow as a frown slowly marred his face, "I don't have to do anything. I am the Alpha. I do what I want."

"We need to do what's best for Leah."

"What would be best for Leah would be for me to tie him up and throw him over the cliff!"

"Well, if you're not willing to do it for Leah," Emily cupped his jaw, giving him a soft smile, "Do it for me?"

"Ah, Em," Sam's head dropped back against his shoulders, "You can't do that. You know I can't say no to you. Using that against me is not fair."

"When have I ever used that against you," Emily's smile turned into a grin.

Sam scoffed, "When I wanted my twins to be born in a hospital."

"I wanted them to be born in our house," Emily pouted prettily, laughing when Sam flicked her bottom lip with his index finger, "Was that too much to ask?"

"No, it wasn't," Sam rested his forehead against hers, "But this…this is. Em…I can't let him hurt our Leah…not again."

"He won't," Emily kissed his nose, "We'll make sure of it. By the time we're done, he's going to be absolutely, completely, devotedly head over heels in love with her. We can do that, can't we Sam?"

"Play matchmakers, Em?" Sam gave her a disbelieving look, "I'd rather play tourist guide…right to the Washington border."

"Please, Sam," Emily's doe brown eyes glistened with what Sam knew was hope that he would step up to be the man she thought he was, "For me?"

Wrinkling his nose, he kissed her mouth, "Fine. I'll do it. I'll help you help him see what a jewel Leah is…but I'm not buying you anymore chocolate dipped ice cream cones!"

"Don't be silly."

* * *

Rick was losing his patience…quickly. It had been almost two weeks since she agreed to give him a second chance…and then proceeded to avoid him.

He'd yet to see her, talk to her…convince her that he had feelings for her. He had yet to get to see his son, the reason he'd asked for that second chance.

Well, one of the two reasons.

The other reason was making his nights and days miserable, constantly seeking her, wanting her…needing her.

That was what drove Rick crazy…the needing. Before Leah, all he had needed were memories of Ileana and Nicolai…but now…

A slight noise to his left caught his attention. Turning, he watched his son toddle towards him, his chubby little face openly curious. Rick stood still, his eyes quickly scanning the area for any of the pack members that tended to always be around Leah or his son.

Turning back to his little boy, he watched quietly as he got closer.

Stretching out his arm, Gabriel held out a closed fist to Rick, his toothy grin wrangling a smile out of him as he reached down to take the offered fist.

"Pretty wock," Gabriel placed the polished green pebble in his hand before toddling off a few steps and bending down to pick another, promptly bringing it back, "Blue wock."

Rick took the offered gift, quickly scanning the beach again before looking down at the little blue eyed boy, "Where's your guard dog, Gabriel?"

"Woof," Gabriel handed Rick a perfect seashell the color of a blush, making Rick faintly wonder what a blushing Leah would look like, "Sea shell…pretty."

"Yes it is," Rick crouched down to his son's height, watching him with a faint smile as Gabriel picked pebbles, bringing them back to Rick until he had a neat little pile of red, yellow, green, purple and blue polished pebbles plus the blushing seashell in his hand.

Straightening up to his full height, he watched Gabriel freeze, looking up at him with his big baby blue eyes…eyes that were identical to his first little boy's eyes…eyes they both inherited from him.

Gabriel dropped a fist full of pebbles, toddling over to Rick with his arms stretched out, a big smile on his face.

"Gabe fly!"

Rick stared down at him, thinking his son's open acceptance of strangers was not a good thing.

"Gabe wanna fly!"

Cocking an eyebrow, Rick stuffed his fistful of Gabriel's loot into his pants' pocket, bending over to pick his little boy up, surprised at the hefty weight of his one year old.

"Gabe fly!" Gabriel stretched his arms over his head, his little legs swinging.

Understanding dawned as Rick lifted Gabriel high above his head, slowly spinning in a circle, looking up at his son's happy face.

"No! Fly! Up!" Gabriel's sturdy little body bounced in Rick's hands, making him understand that his one year old son was seeking a greater high than just his father's height.

"You're a little risk taker, uh," Rick brought him down to eye level before tossing him up to the air, easily catching him on the way down, grinning at the belly laugh that escaped his son. Tossing him up again, Rick laughed along with his son, wondering who had introduced his son to this particularly risky game…probably that big monster Leah called her kid brother.

Tossing him up high, he caught him and swung him down low.

"Gabriel!"

Bringing him securely into his arms, he turned to watch Leah running towards him, her sable brown hair blowing around her face.

The look on her face let him know he was about to get his head bitten off by a seriously pissed off mama.

* * *

Leah tried to swallow pass the lump of fear lodged in her throat as she took Gabriel from Rick's arms.

"You almost dropped him!"

Rick shook his head, breathing in deep to calm himself, "I did not –"

"How dare you," Leah clutched a suddenly quiet Gabriel close to her, her brown-green eyes burning into Rick, "How dare you toss my son like that?"

"He's obviously been tossed by one of your pack members because he seemed a pro at it," Rick swallowed, trying not to be angry at Leah's response to this new misunderstanding between them.

"They are his uncles," Leah shot him a heated glare; "He's grown up with them. They know what Gabe can and can't handle."

"I'm his father," Rick shoved his fingers through his hair.

"No Rick," Leah took a step back, her face tight with anger she was holding in for the sake of her little boy, "You're just the guy that got me pregnant."

Sucking in a breath, Rick closed his eyes, trying to hold on to his anger, "That's not fair, Leah. I didn't know you were pregnant. You never told me, never gave me the chance to step up to being Gabriel's father."

"You told me to leave, Rick," Leah's voice throbbed with renewed pain, "You didn't give me a chance. It's still your fault that you didn't get to step up. Now I'm telling you…I don't want you near my son. I won't let you hurt him."

"I have no plans of hurting him, Leah," Rick tried to figure out what to say to get Leah to believe him, "Or you. I was sincere when I asked for that second chance. Obviously you weren't when you agreed to give it to me."

"What –" Leah bit her bottom lip, averting her eyes from his, "What do you mean?"

"You've been avoiding me, Leah," Rick took a step closer, stopping when she moved back, "What kind of a second chance is that? How am I supposed to get to know you, or let you get to know me if you won't be anywhere around me?"

Leah sucked in a breath, keeping her eyes locked on her son's face, watching the serious look Gabe had since she pulled him out of Rick's arms slowly dissipate to its usual mischievous one.

"Mama! Gabe play!" Gabriel bounced in his mother's arms, patting his little hands gently against her cheeks.

"I'll take you to Aunt Emily and Uncle Sam's to play with Bailey and Bradley, okay," Leah buzzed his chubby cheek, hiding her smile in his sweet baby smelling neck when he giggled before she turned to look at Rick, "I'm sorry, it's just…"

"You don't trust me," Rick watched Gabriel as he attempted to buzz his mother's cheek, "Neither does your pack. Give me the chance, Leah, to win your trust. All of you."

"I don't think Sam's ever gonna trust you," Leah bit the inside of her cheek, "What with you being an Alpha and all."

Rick wondered to himself if that was all that bothered Sam, "I can back off on that."

Leah nodded, nibbling her son's fingers, which he was trying to shove into her mouth, "I have to go. Gabriel doesn't like to be still for too long."

Rick watched as Leah turned away, rubbing her nose against his son's, frowning at an aching tug in the vicinity of his heart, "Leah."

Stopping, she looked over her son's head at him, her dark eyebrows arching over her brown-green eyes.

"Will you take a walk with me this afternoon," Rick cocked his head to the side, his eyes beseeching her to say yes, "Just a walk. Please?"

Leah bit her lip, giving him a quick nod before she quickly walked away, burying her face into Gabriel's dark brown hair, willing herself not to look back.

She was afraid, true. She didn't want to hurt like she had when he asked her to leave ever again.

But he wanted a second chance. He wanted to get to know her. To fall in love with her. He wanted…and she caved.

It was a walk…just a walk. Nothing more.

She wasn't going to give in to the desire to please him, make him happy.

Not this time.


	43. Chapter 42

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Thank y'all for the reviews! They make me smile. Now, I agree with those who state Rick has to change and make it up to Leah, but I'm blank as to how. Any ideas? Send them through the fanfic e-mail thingy if you do have ideas. I have one but it seems that in the end, Leah might still get the short end of the stick. It's like she's a magnet for bad things! Once again, thank you! And here's another update! This time, just one chapter so I won't fall behind. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Forty-Two**

Sighing, she leaned forward, her eyes glued to the horizon, the brightness of the sun reflecting off the waves, making her squint.

Glancing at her watch, she wondered what, or who, could be holding Rick up. He had been the one to suggest this walk –should she think of it as a date? –and he was late.

So much for good impressions.

Letting out another sigh, she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, elbows on her knees, her eyes perusing the glittering pebbles littering the seashore.

Thinking back to earlier that day, she wondered how Gabriel had ended up alone on the beach with Rick. Seth was supposed to have been watching her son…she had to wonder where Seth had been when he should have been with Gabe.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she wondered what Seth had been thinking, letting Gabe approach his father.

Leah gasped as dozens of wildflowers showered her, covering the top of her head, her shoulders, her lap and feet, making a multi-colored circle around her.

Taking a purple dame's flower, she looked up as Rick stepped over the smooth log and sat next to her, "I found a patch of wildflowers," he reached to pick a yellow four o' clock from her hair, "Since I didn't know your favorite flower, I picked them all."

Leah smiled as she brought a daisy to her nose, her skin heating as he brushed his hand over her hair, tumbling the flowers that still clung there.

"This is where you tell me what your favorite flower is," Rick plucked the daisy from her hand, tucking it behind her left ear, "It's part of that getting to know you thing."

Leah looked into his eyes, seeing interest, admiration and something indefinably dark in his eyes.

"Tiger lilies."

"Ah," Rick dropped his hand, turning to look at the gilded waves, "That means a trip to the florist. Expensive taste."

Leah couldn't hold back a smile, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks as Rick leaned down to look at her lowered face.

"You have a beautiful smile," Rick reached out and lifted her face, his thumb tracing her bottom lip, "I don't think I've ever seen it before."

Ducking her head, she moved her face out of his touch, yearning for there to be more, afraid there wasn't enough.

Rick bit back a sigh, wondering how to start a conversation. It was surprising to realize that he didn't know how to talk to the woman he had been physically intimate with for four months out of his life.

Zeus, he'd gotten her pregnant! Surely he could think of something of interest to both of them.

Shifting on the log, he looked over at Leah, momentarily enjoying the sight of her surrounded by wildflowers. She put him to mind of woodland fairies, the way the sun glinted off her sable brown hair and dusty skin, the flowers she was bundling into a bouquet putting a twinkle in her eyes he hadn't seen before.

"So where's Gabriel?"

His eyebrows lowered as he tried to pretend he hadn't noticed the way she tensed at his use of their son's name.

"With my mother," Leah picked up a black eyed susan that had been resting on the toe of her Converse sneaker, touching the velvet petals before placing it into the growing bouquet on her left hand, "She enjoys babysitting."

"I got the impression he requires quite a bit of energy," Rick smiled in response to Leah's smile, "I take it your mother can handle it?"

"My mother has two children, both shape-shifters, sworn to protect against vampires," Leah stuck a honeysuckle blossom between her lips, sucking out the nectar, "She can handle anything."

"What about your father," Rick started picking the daisies around Leah, braiding them into a circlet.

Leah sucked in a breath, her eyes swinging over to him. Had she never mentioned her father's death to him?

"My father…died six years ago…of a heart attack," Leah picked up a pink corncockle, slowly spinning it between her fingers before tucking it into the bouquet.

"I'm sorry," Rick whispered, his heart aching as he thought of his own father, "It's hard to loose a parent."

Leah nodded, knowing that her loss was minimal to losing a family…an entire people.

"What was he like," Rick finished the daisy circlet, turning to place it on Leah's head, "Your father."

Leah couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down her body as he slid his fingers through her short hair, cupping her jaw for a few seconds before sliding them down her throat, his fingers pressed against her racing pulse.

Sucking in a breath, she closed her eyes, willing her emotions under control.

"He was…bigger than life," Leah wrapped her fingers around one of his wrists, pulling his hand away from her throat, "the one that made everything right. Except the heartbreak from Sam. I think it ate away at him not being able to make it right for me."

Taking his other hand, she tugged it down, watching in fascination as he laced his fingers with hers, "His passion, aside from his wife and kids, was fishing. Fly-fishing, deep sea fishing…if it involved water and fish, he did it. I think mom still has his harpoon from whaling in the shed."

Rick smiled at the image of a man, similar in face and shape to Seth, hunting him down with a whaling harpoon. He hoped Leah's mom had that shed locked.

"What about you?"

Rick started, his erotic thoughts concerning their laced hands rudely interrupted by what he knew to be fair turnabout.

"My father," Rick pulled his hand away, straightening away from Leah, "He was the Alpha. The one to overlook the entire pack. He had a big responsibility, which he took on at a very early age."

"He sounds a bit like Sam," Leah pulled off the rubber band she had on her wrist, which she used as a memory trick, and tied it around the thick stem of the bouquet she had been holding tightly, "He was twenty the first time he phased."

Rick bit back a retort, not wanting to talk about Sam. Without question, for some bizarre and unknown reason to him, Rick detested Sam.

"I suppose," Rick leaned forward, watching the sun slowly sinking into the ocean, the sky turning red and orange, pink bleeding into the blue, "He did a wonderful job. Right up to the end."

Leah bit the inside of her cheek, debating with herself for a bit before she finally spoke.

"What happened to him?"

Rick's spine stiffened as the horrifying images of what he had come home to flashed through his mind, his stomach clenching in pain as he swallowed back the bile, "Our pack was attacked…by vampires. During daylight. They didn't stand a chance. If I hadn't been in Athens for a work conference, our entire pack would have been wiped out. I searched…but my father wasn't among the dead. Neither were my brothers and some of my cousins," Rick rubbed the back of his neck, his upper lip breaking out in sweat as he continued to fight the nausea; "I hoped they had escaped…but they never returned."

Leah's eyes locked onto the wildflower bouquet as her mind flashed back to a conversation she had eavesdropped on.

"_Someone had come to Caius, telling him that there was a community of werewolves that lived near the shores of Greece…_

_This was good news because it meant that the Volturi could attack during the day without threat of losing any of their own…_

_He told me how the guard completely wiped out an entire community; men, women, young and old. None of them had the ability to defend themselves…during the day they were as helpless as any human being…_

_Aro was curious to find out what would happen if one of these werewolves was bitten by a vampire. He took a few of them captive, brought them to Voltura and had them placed in the dungeons…_

_He waited until it was night, and the men he had captured, ten in all, were in their wolf form. He had three of them chained down before the moon came up because in their wolf forms, they were a definite threat to the guard…_

_Caius was warming up to the idea of a hybrid vampire…he thought that a vampire that was also a werewolf would be indestructible so he joined Aro in theorizing what would work…_

_As it turned out, the last one had been the Alpha of the pack…_

_Aro had saved him for his last attempt…transform him at the full moon. _

_Caius was obsessed by the idea of a vampire-werewolf hybrid that he decided he would be the one to turn the Alpha at the full moon…_

_He killed himself the night before the full moon. He rammed his head onto the wall until his brain was nothing but mulch…_

_Caius is still obsessed with the idea of a vampire-werewolf hybrid…_

Shaking her head, she turned to look at Rick, seeing the despair and sorrow on his face, knowing without a doubt that not knowing what had happened to his father still haunted him, following him wherever he went.

"I know…" Leah swallowed the lump on her throat, "I know what happened to them."

Rick's head snapped towards her, the blue of his eyes getting darker as he waited for her.

Wrapping both hands around the bouquet, she took a deep breath, wondering how Rick was going to handle what she was about to share with him.

"The Volturi took him…ten of them total."

"Why," Rick raked his fingers through his hair, "For what purpose?"

"Annabelle said…that…they were thinking about creating a hybrid…like Jacob."

"That's not possible," Rick lurched to his feet, taking a few steps away from Leah, his breathing coming hard and fast, "Vampire venom…it's poison…if infected, some of us die quickly…others linger a bit…but in the end, it's certain death."

"None of them survived, Rick."

"It's a painful death…especially on the full moon…"

"Your father was the only one that wasn't bitten. He…he took his life the night before they were going to do it…the night before the full moon."

"Good," Rick sank down into a crouch, fisting his hands in his hair, "That's good. I wouldn't have wanted him to suffer like that…"

Gently placing her bouquet on the smooth log, she stood up, slowly approaching Rick's crouched form, an ache filling her that she knew came from seeing him in so much pain.

Kneeling beside him, she slowly placed her arms around him, afraid of rejection, of being pushed away.

Instead, Rick turned into her embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as his body shook, his agony bringing hot tears to her eyes.

Leaning her cheek against his shoulder, she held him and cried with him, wanting to take his pain onto herself.

Long minutes passed before Rick took a shuddering breath, pulling back to look down at Leah's tearstained face. She looked into his clear blue eyes, seeing a peace she hadn't seen before in them.

She had been right…his father's fate had haunted him.

They simultaneously reached out towards each other's face, their fingers wiping at wet cheeks, their eyes never looking away from each other.

Rick touched the corner of her mouth with his thumb, lowering his forehead against hers, his words whispering over her mouth.

"Thank you."

Slowly, with such tenderness that Leah's heart gave a painful lurch, Rick pressed his lips against hers, softly fusing them together, exploring the texture of them for a few precious seconds before he pulled away.

Looking into his eyes, Leah sucked in her breath, wondering if the cosmic gods could truly be so cruel.

This Rick was someone she didn't know.

This Rick was someone she could love.

This Rick was someone that could completely obliterate her.


	44. Chapter 43

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I got a wonderful message from one of my readers (Thank you hilja!) and it got me excited at sharing the next chapter with you. Thank you for the awesome reviews! They make me smile and give me the motivation to continue with the story! As always, I welcome your input, criticism, ideas and comments!**

**Chapter Forty-Three**

"It sucks that you can't do anything normal," Emily placed the pie in the oven, setting the timer before turning towards Leah.

"What do you mean," Leah reached towards her son, taking his little fist, having anticipated by the look in his eye that the fork was about to be given a lesson in flying, "You can't throw that Gabe. It'll hurt someone."

Gabe's mutinous look made Leah sigh as she took the fork away from him.

"Like going dancing. A late night movie. Dinner at a fancy restaurant. You know –normal dating stuff."

Leah chuckled as she took Gabe's plastic plate away, once again avoiding a flying mess, "We take afternoon walks. We watch the sun set. We have breakfast picnics at the beach. I think that sounds like normal dating stuff."

Emily sighed, trying not to laugh as she watched her godson eyeing the salt and pepper shakers, "He's adamant at making something fly."

Leah moved the shakers out of her son's reach.

"I was thinking of buying him a remote controlled airplane."

"Emily, he's one. All of you spoil him so bad; it makes it harder for me to discipline him."

"He's our miracle baby, Lee," Emily dropped a kiss on his silky dark hair, laughing when he tilted his head back and reached up to pat her cheeks.

"I know," Leah reached over, tickling her son's tummy, smiling at his giggles.

"So what do you and Rick have planned for today?"

"A walk on the beach."

"Again?"

"We're getting to know each other," Leah pulled her baby onto her lap, buzzing his cheek to make him giggle again.

"It's been a month since you've started getting to know each other," Emily sat across the table from Leah, flipping her braid over her shoulder, "Is there any progress? I mean, is he falling for you?"

Leah leaned her cheek against her son's head, breathing in his smell, "I'm falling for him."

"But is he falling for you?"

Leah stared at Emily, her arms tightening around Gabe until he began to squirm.

"Mama! Gabe play now!"

Leah kissed his cheek, letting him scramble off her lap and run towards the living room to play with his cousins' toys.

"When is Sam getting back with the twins?"

"In a few minutes," Emily looked out the kitchen window, "Mom asked to keep them over for the weekend."

Leah nodded, looking over her shoulder to watch her son "zoom-zooming" around the room, holding a little dump truck in his pudgy fist over his head.

"What has four wheels and flies?" Emily and Leah turned towards the front door, watching a laughing Sam walk in with Bailey and Bradley, one in each arm.

"Aunt Lee!" Emily laughed as she stood up, Bailey throwing herself from her father's arm, easily caught by Leah before she hit the floor.

Holding her close, Leah kissed her cheek, laughing as Bailey wrapped her arms around her neck, squeezing tight.

Sitting back in her chair, Leah settled Bailey in her lap where the little girl was content to stay as Bradley headed towards the living room to play with Gabe.

"Missed me," Sam pulled Emily close, kissing her scarred cheek before he dropped a tender kiss on her lips.

"Always," Emily smiled up at him, touching his cheek before she turned to look at Leah, catching a wistful look on her cousin's face before she turned to look at Bailey.

"Did you have fun with Grandma Mae," Leah kissed Bailey's upturned nose, smiling down at her doe-brown eyes.

Bailey nodded, holding up her little wrist, a colorfully weaved bracelet encircling it, "Look! Brady gave me."

Leah stared at the bracelet, understanding dawning in her eyes as she looked up at Sam, her mouth opening in shock when he nodded, a grimace on his face.

"Are you serious?" Leah looked back at the bracelet, running her finger over it.

"Yup," Sam frowned, "Another Quil-Claire situation. Believe me, I was not happy."

"When did it happen," Leah hugged Bailey close, brushing her lips against her black silky hair, "And why was I not aware of it?"

"When Bailey was born," Sam pulled out a chair to sit, watching Emily return to her seat, "And you didn't know because you haven't been doing patrols with us. You only phase on nights of the full moon."

"True," Leah looked over at the boys, watching Bradley crawl with his truck and Gabe fly with his, "I can't leave my son alone at night. Besides, you and the pack have pretty much forbidden me to patrol and put myself in danger, if there's any."

Rolling his eyes, Sam took Emily's hand, lacing their fingers together, "What were you two talking about before I interrupted?"

"Leah was avoiding a question," Emily smiled at Leah, completely unaffected at the glare she was getting, "I asked her if she thought Rick was falling for her and she has yet to answer."

"Well, honey," Sam raised his wife's hand, kissing her knuckles, "That's because Leah is the least objectionable person to answer that question."

"Thank you," Leah stuck her tongue out at her cousin, "See? I wasn't avoiding anything."

"Yes you are," Emily blew a kiss at her daughter, watching her giggle as she rested her head against Leah's chest, settling in deeper, "You're holding back with him, Leah. Even if you say you're falling for him, you're still keeping a lot of yourself from him. Including his son."

"My son," Leah took a deep breath, keeping a tight leash on her anger, "Gabriel is my son. Em, I can't trust him. I'm afraid to. Without trust, I won't be able to give him my heart. My soul he already owns, but my heart…I have a choice. Just like he has one," Leah leaned her cheek against Bailey's head, "Emily, I can…feel him holding back…with me. He's very interested in Gabe…he wants to spend time with him…"

"Why won't you let him," Emily tilted her head to the side, her doe-brown eyes shiny with unshed tears, compassion welling inside her at the pain and uncertainty in Leah's face.

"Because…if things go wrong…I don't want Gabe to hurt."

* * *

Rick closed his eyes, breathing in the salty air, an ache of homesickness pressing against his heart.

How he missed Greece!

It had been four years since he left his homeland.

Four years since he'd thought of his home, his family, his people without being overwhelmed with feelings of pain, sorrow, guilt…betrayal.

Opening his eyes to the rising sun, he thought that, maybe, if everything worked as he was planning, he could take his son to Greece.

Show him the temples.

Take him running on the hot sandy beaches.

Teach him of his ancestry.

Shifting his weight, he once again tried to figure out a way to get pass Leah's defenses long enough to get close to his son.

Leah.

Rick smiled as he thought back on the month he'd spend wooing her.

There really was no other word to describe it.

She was so reserved around him, giving him information he asked for and not another thing.

Every day it seemed that for every step he got closer to Leah, she took two steps back from him.

And the hardest part of all was…

He liked her.

Not only was she lust incarnate to him, she was also intelligent, inquisitive, empathetic.

She seemed to know when to make him laugh, when to offer him comfort.

She had the uncanny ability to predict his moods and deal with them accordingly.

But most of all…

He liked her smile.

Every time her full lips stretched into a smile, Rick felt it tug at his heart.

That smile held so many secrets…and a challenge to go after them.

And Rick wanted to…so bad.

This, of course, meant he wasn't going to take the challenge.

He already liked her.

That should be enough.

* * *

"It's hard…to resist your imprint."

Rick looked to his left, his face blank, not giving any of his thoughts away as he looked down at the profile of a brown eyed beauty with long raven black hair that fluttered in the breeze.

"The commitment and adoration that comes with the imprinting pulls you in no matter how hard you fight it."

"I take it you've experienced it," Rick continued to watch her, wondering why she wouldn't look at him.

"Yes," she took a deep breath, "I have. I still do. I know, without a doubt, that he's always there for me. He's willing to be anything I need him to be. A friend. A confidant. A protector. A lover. My happiness is his reason for existing…and in time, his happiness has become as important to me."

"Don't you think it's a little…autocratic," Rick shifted his weight, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "Not to have a choice…who you devote your life to."

"Why would you choose someone else?" She pushed her hair behind her shoulder, "Everything you could possibly want is in this one person. No one else can offer you anything compared to your imprint."

"Tell me," Rick finally turned to look full on at her profile, "Was your imprint in love with someone else? Someone of his own choosing?"

She stayed still, her arms hanging loosely by her sides as the breeze continued to play with her long hair and light pink sundress.

The silence seemed to thicken as he openly examined her profile.

She seemed familiar…the slight tilt of her nose…the stubborn edge to her chin…the curve of her jaw…

"Yes," she sighed, brushing her fingers through her hair, "He was in love with my cousin. He had given her a ring, promised her forever."

"Until you came along; he imprinted and broke all his promises," Rick arched an eyebrow, his mouth twisting in disgust, "Where did this leave her?"

"With a broken heart," brushing her hair back, she finally turned to face him, "But so much stronger now than she was before. Unfortunately for her, she's now at the mercy of her imprint. And he can do more damage to her that her first love ever did. I just hope he knows how much power he has over her."

Rick's eyes followed the deep scars down her right cheek to the edge of the sundress bodice where they ended, to resurface again on her right arm to end on the back of her hand.

"You're Sam's wife."

"I am."

"And Leah's cousin," Rick finally realized why parts of her face seemed familiar.

"Yes," she offered her hand which he took in his, "I'm Emily…Emily Uley."

Holding her hand for a second longer, he gave her another searching look, "Did Sam do that to your face?"

"A long time ago," Emily reached up to touch her scarred cheek, "Strangely enough, it's what brought us together."

Letting go of her hand, Rick turned to look at the breaking waves again, "Why are you here Emily? To give me a lesson on being an imprintee?"

"Aside from that," Emily smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest, "I came over to invite you for lunch…if you promise not to indulge in some Alpha showdown with Sam."

"Lunch? With you and Sam?"

"Actually, Leah will be there. So will the pack…and their imprintees…not to mention the kids. It's gonna be a full house…literally speaking since my house is tiny."

"Why," Rick gave her a suspicious look, "No one in the pack likes or trusts me."

"Because if you really want to get to know Leah…if you're honest about wanting to fall in love with her, you need to see her interact with the pack," Emily smiled up at Rick, "Her brothers are very important to her…they need to become important to you."

"What's important to me is my…Leah and my son," Rick looked over his shoulder to watch Leah's far-off image slowly approach them.

"That's good," Emily's smile turned into a grin, "But they need to become important to you too. So will you come to lunch?"

"If Leah's okay with it, I suppose so."

"If I'm okay with what," Leah approached them, her hands tucked into the back of her jeans' pockets, her breasts thrust forward in a way that made Rick forget what he had been talking about.

"Lunch," Emily turned to look at Leah, her doe-brown eyes quietly begging her cousin to be okay with it, "At our place. With the whole pack."

Leah bit her bottom lip, her brown-green eyes shadowed by long lashes as she looked sideways at Rick.

"Please Lee," Emily stepped forward, resting her hand against Leah's arm, "Remember what we talked about yesterday morning? This can help."

Gnawing on her lip, Leah finally looked into Rick's eyes, "Are you okay with that? Sam will be there."

"If Sam can behave, so can I," Rick turned to Emily, giving her a friendly smile, "Emily, I graciously accept your offer to join you and your family for lunch."

Emily gave him a grin before she turned back to Leah, "At least he's well-mannered. I'll see you in a couple hours. Oh! I'm making your favorite muffins."

"Then I'll definitely be there," Leah chuckled as she hugged her cousin, "Sam's with the kids. Seth will be picking up Gabe in half an hour."

"Okay," Emily kissed Leah's cheek before she turned to walk towards her house, "I'll tell him to bring him back for lunch in a few hours then. You two have fun in your walk."

Leah smiled as her cousin walked away, the breeze playing with the skirt of her sundress. Turning back to Rick, she stood there, wondering what to say.

"Your cousin seems nice," Rick moved a step closer, his mouth tightening at her unconscious retreat, "A sweet girl."

"She is," Leah ran her fingers through her hair, randomly thinking she was in need of a haircut, "She's been my best friend since we were little girls."

Rick wanted to ask if that had been the case after Sam had imprinted on Emily but decided not to. Painful memories were best left unmentioned.

"Are you okay with lunch," Leah shifted on her feet, once again gnawing on her bottom lip, "The entire pack together is a little hard to endure. We're talking multiple personalities somehow in sync with each other…"

"It's okay Leah," Rick reached out to brush a lock of hair out of her eyes, "I come from a pack remember?"

"Were you and your pack able to read each other's minds when in wolf form," Leah sighed when Rick shook his head, "That's what we have to live with. But it's not just reading each other's thoughts. We have no secrets from each other because we can't. Everything we feel and think is laid out in the open when we're in wolf form."

"For us, it's just…was natural I suppose. I really wouldn't know since I'm not there."

"Right," Leah looked away from Rick, an unidentified emotion flitting across her face, "I forget…he can obviously butt into your mind but you can't do the same."

"I never really cared to," Rick shrugged, moving back a step, "Especially not on the full moon. I mean, I don't think it's possible to take two entities and try to have them coexist in one mind. Too much, don't you think so?"

"I suppose," Leah sighed, moving around Rick to head towards the seashore.

"Leah," Rick stepped behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders, "I have something for you."

Leah tensed her shoulders, not wanting the hot ache of being close to him that seemed to throb permanently inside her.

"Leah," Rick whispered into her ear, his warm breath moving over her skin, making her hot and itchy, "Please."

"What Rick," Leah turned around, stepping out of his circle of power, "What do you want from me now?"

Rick couldn't help smiling at Leah's display of anger. She truly did look beautiful angry.

"I want you to stop pushing me away," Rick ran his fingers through his hair, "Every time I try to get close to you, you put up walls. Now, I'm willing to climb them if that's what it takes to get close to you, but not if you keep putting up new ones."

Leah hugged her arms around her, "I don't know what you mean."

"Leah," Rick reached out and pulled her towards him, his hands secure on her upper arms, "You're so afraid of getting hurt that you're avoiding the chance for happiness. You won't let yourself be happy. You won't let me learn to make you happy. I promise…I'm in this. All the way."

Leah shook her head, pressing her hands against his chest, "It's not me. It's you."

"What do you mean?"

"You're holding back Rick," Leah kept her eyes glued to the base of his throat, swallowing to wet her suddenly dry mouth, "You say you want to fall in love…but as long as you hold back, as long as you keep her to yourself, there's no room for me in your heart."

Rick released her, stepping away from her, "You want me to forget her? Pretend she never existed?"

"No," Leah finally looked into his blue eyes, sucking in a breath, "That's not what I want."

"Then what, Leah," Rick rubbed the back of his neck, knowing it was turning red from anger, "What do you want from me to prove to you that I want to be with you?"

"Tell me about her," Leah reached out to touch him, her hand dropping to her side when he stepped back, "Tell me what she was like, what made her smile, what made her angry. What did she look like? What was her name? How did you meet her? Why did you fall in love with her? Share her with me, Rick. Share your pain, your loneliness, your memories…everything that's a part of you, share it with me."

"And you plan on doing the same," Rick gave her a calculated look, finally seeing a way to get close to his son.

"I'm already sharing everything with you," Leah tossed her hair back, "My home, my people, my memories of Sam…all this I've shared with you."

"Not everything Leah," Rick stepped closer, following as she retreated, "You still haven't shared what's most important to you."

Leah felt her feet engulfed by the cold waves, her Converse sneakers and the hems of her jeans getting soaked, "What else do you want me to share with you?"

"Your son," Rick watched her freeze in place, her eyes widening, "Our son. Share him with me, Leah. Let me get to know him, get him to know me. Let me get close to him, be his father…I'll share everything of mine with you…but I need you to share him with me."

Leah forced herself to start breathing, her teeth biting down on her tongue until she tasted blood.

Rick truly was asking the impossible.

But he was offering her everything in exchange for it.

Should she risk her everything in exchange for his?

Could she do it?


	45. Chapter 44

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Y'all should be happy now! Thanks to my need to please y'all, I am now behind! No worries though...I have the beginning for the next chapter already in my head...all it needs is to take shape. Oh! Teaser for the next few chapters...full moon is coming!**

**Chapter Forty-Four**

"Did you know," Collin reached across the table for a yeasty roll, tearing it in half, "That in some cultures, after a woman gives birth, men will eat the placenta for increased virility?"

"Eww!"

"Gross!"

Collin laughed as he caught a roll in mid-air, which had been pelted at him by Paul, "What? I thought it was interesting!"

"Interesting?" Brady gave Collin a look of disgust, "It's disgusting. Are you still set on doing that gynecologist thing?"

"Yup," Collin bit into the roll with gusto, laughing as he noticed Embry pushing away his plate of coleslaw, "Two more years of high school then college in Seattle. After that, four years of med school."

"All that just so you can stare at women down there," Brady cocked an eyebrow, "Day after day, hour after hour?"

Collin gave Brady an evil grin, "You're just jealous because it will be years before you can look at a woman down there."

Collin howled as Sam smacked him hard over the head, "That's my baby girl you're talking about, you sick son of a bitch!"

Laughing, Collin turned to look at Brady, laughing harder at the look of utter shock and disbelief he was currently exhibiting.

"I don't think about…that's never…" turning to look at his Alpha, Brady's eyes were wide, "Sam, you know I don't think anything like that when it comes to Bailey. I never would –"

"Don't worry," Sam threw a disgruntled look at Collin, "I know you don't…you'd be dead otherwise."

"You're seriously disturbing, man," Paul shook his head, reaching out to grab a fried drumstick as soon as Emily placed the platter in the middle of the plate.

"I'm disturbing," Collin grabbed another drumstick along with a thigh, shoveling mashed potatoes onto his plate before Quil took them away, "I'm not the one who imprinted on a newborn. At least Quil had the decency to wait until Claire was two."

"That's because he met her when she was two," Brady passed the gravy across the table to Embry, knowing Collin was waiting for it.

"Hey," Collin stared in surprise as the gravy got passed around to his brothers, passing him over until the bowl was empty, "You jackasses know I like gravy!"

"That's what you get for being disgusting at the table," Jared laughed at Collin's disgruntled look before taking a bite of his fried chicken, "Emily, this is good!"

"When is Emily's food not good," Leah closed the front door behind her and Rick, watching with interested as all her brothers went silent, every single one turning to look at Rick with something akin to dislike.

Stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, Rick rocked backward on the ball of his feet, "Yeah…this isn't awkward at all."

The silence in the kitchen hung thick, the sound of playing children in the living room doing nothing to break the tension.

Leah gave Emily a look before she turned towards her brothers, her eyebrows lowering as she zeroed in on her little brother, "Are you eating my muffins?"

"I beg your pardon," Seth gave her disdainful look, holding his hand back as Leah moved towards him to reach it.

"I told you those were for your sister," Emily placed another bowl of gravy on the table, taking the empty platter from the middle away.

"Sorry," Seth gave Leah an evil grin, "I didn't hear the sister part. What I heard was 'those are yours.'"

"Give me my muffin," Leah held out her hand, waiting for Seth to obey.

"Okay," Seth smiled up at her before he shoved the whole thing into his mouth, his brothers around the table laughing as Leah punched him in the arm, "Fofes buffim fow?"

"Mama!" Leah was distracted by the hefty little body that rammed into her legs, his little arms tight around her knees.

"Hey munchkin," leaning down, she kissed his nose, buzzing his cheek before he turned and ran back into the living room to play with his cousins.

"Don't worry Lee," Emily smiled over at her cousin as she replaced the platter heaped with fried chicken, "I've got some hidden away for you."

"You hid muffins from me," Seth's mouth hung open, a laugh chocked out when Leah shoved a roll into it.

"There," Leah grinned down at him, "You do look better with your mouth stuffed."

The brothers around the table laughed, their hands moving over, around and into the food placed in the middle of the table.

"Lee. Lee. Lee!"

"What Paul," Leah turned to look at Paul, watching Sam coming from the back with two extra chairs, "What do you need to whine to me about now?"

"Your little monster of a kid bit me," Paul shoved out his hand, which Leah took and flipped around, finally pushing it back at him.

"I don't see anything."

"It healed," Paul scrubbed his hand over the back of his neck, "But the emotional trauma is still there."

"You're such a girl," Leah took the offered seat from Sam, pointing at the other chair as she looked over at Rick, "What did you do to my kid to make him bite you?"

"Why did I have to do anything?"

"Because you're you," Leah smiled thanks to Emily when she handed her two plates, handing one to Rick before she shoved at Seth to move over to make room for them.

"I may have tried to bribe him with a sausage link," Paul shrugged as he grabbed another chicken leg, "To try to get him to whisper."

"Whisper," Leah turned to stare at Paul, "Have you ever wondered why my kid only knows how to communicate with a loud voice? It's because of you loud morons!"

Quil and Embry laughed, Jared spitting out a piece of chicken to keep from chocking as laughter overtook him. Sam chuckled at the affronted look on Paul's face.

"Us? You're blaming your kid's inability to use his inside voice on us?"

"Yes," Leah ladled coleslaw and mashed potatoes on Rick's plate before serving herself without much thought, "All of you have two volumes…loud and louder. That's what Gabe is constantly exposed to so it's no surprise that he only knows how to be loud."

Handing Rick the bowl of gravy, she pulled the fried chicken platter closer to their reach.

"Hey," Collin snatched another drumstick from the heaping platter, "Aren't you going to introduce the guy?"

"Do we really need to know his name," Brady gave Rick a scowl, "I say we just keep calling him the –OW! Emily, I think you left mashed potatoes in my hair."

"You behave, Brady Kale," Emily gave him "the look" before she perused the rest of the pack, "He's my guest and I want you to treat him as such."

"Oh," Collin gave Emily a smile before turning to look at Leah, "Pardon us but would you do the honors of introducing the gentleman?"

The brothers laughed as Leah tossed a disgruntled look at Collin, "You're such an ass Collin."

"Just introduce the guy, Leah," Sam leaned back on his chair, wiping his fingers on his napkin.

"All right," Leah turned to look at Rick, noticing the gleam of amusement in his light blue eyes, "Rick, these are my pack brothers Collin, Brady, Jared, Paul, Quil, Embry, my little brother Seth and our Alpha, Sam Uley. Brothers, this is Frederick Laskaris."

"Call me Rick."

"We'd like to call you something else but," Paul lifted an arm in defense of Emily's raised wooden spoon, "Under threat of the wooden spoon, I suppose Rick would do."

Rick chuckled, thinking how similar these guys were to his own pack brothers, "I can respect that."

"Good," Jared nodded once, "As long as we're all understood."

"Enough," Emily placed two empty glasses before Leah and Rick, "What would you like? Tea or lemonade?"

* * *

Rick sat on the front porch step, watching the antics of Leah's pack brothers, choking back laughter as comments and snarky remarks flew back and forth with an amazing speed. Rick was surprised he was able to keep up.

Watching Leah interact with her brothers revealed a side of Leah he had never seen before, a side that he was enjoying immensely. He now understood why Emily wanted him to interact with the pack as a whole.

This Leah was nothing like the one he thought he was getting to know.

"Oh come on Lee," Seth whined as he ran across the front yard, his nephew high on his back, "Play football with us!"

"No," Leah swung Bailey around, her arms secure over her little body, "You know damn well I don't like playing football with you brutes."

"Why the hell not," Paul reached behind him to hold onto Bradley as he got up from his hands and knees, where he had been playing horsey with the kid, "Sam wants to sit out so he can hold Emily's hand and moon over her."

"Jackass," Sam called out from behind Rick, where he was sitting on the porch swing, Emily snuggled next to him.

Paul brayed, making Bradley laugh as he climbed over Paul's back until he clung around his neck with a chokehold, "Brad, buddy…you gotta loosen up…before you kill me."

"Squeeze harder Bradley," Leah called out, swinging a laughing Bailey up into her arms, "I'll give you my dad's harpoon if you succeed."

"You bitch," Paul called out good naturedly, sprawling on the dirt with a bouncing laughing Bradley on his back.

"You know it," Leah laughed at Bradley's triumphant look, placing Bailey on the ground, "Okay Bales, its' Monika's turn now."

Turning, she picked up two year old Monika, Jared and Kim's little girl, and swung her around, laughing along with the trilling laugh of the little girl that was a spitting image of Kim, "Hey, Jared! Is Kim coming?"

"She is," Jared tossed a football at Brady, laughing when it hit Brady over the head, "Brady, pay attention to the damn ball!"

"Sorry," Brady rubbed his head before crouching down to take something offered to him by Bailey.

"She went to the Makah reservation to pick up Claire," Jared turned to look at Leah, sticking his hands into the pockets of his cut-off jeans, "I believe Rachel went with her. That's why they weren't here for lunch. Besides, fried chicken makes Kim queasy."

"Bet she hates your guts at you having gotten her pregnant too soon after Nika," Leah hugged the little girl before letting her stand, walking over to the front porch to sit next to Rick.

"Nika's two years old," Jared bent down, grinning as his little girl ran to him, her arms flinging around his neck, "That's not too soon. Besides, Kim's the one that can't keep her hands off me."

The brothers laughed, all knowing that to some extent, Jared was telling the truth. It had taken years but they seemed to have gotten the hang of dealing with the intimate memories they were forced to share.

"We still need another player for football," Seth sat on the ground, panting in exhaustion, "Okay tornado, no more running for me."

"Football!" Gabe scrambled off Seth's back, coming around to pat his face, "Gabe football!"

"I know buddy," Seth ruffled his hair, grinning down at him, "We need another player."

An odd glint entering his dark eyes, he leaned in and whispered into his nephew's ear, watching as the little boy turned around and ran towards the front porch, heading straight for Rick.

"Play football!" Gabe grabbed one of Rick's hands tugging at him with all his might, "Rick play! Gabe football!"

"I suppose I could play," Rick stood up, watching with amazement as the little boy gave a jump of excitement, "Is it tackle or touch, Seth?"

"Touch," Seth laughed at the look of alarm on Leah's face, "Relax Lee. We won't hurt him."

"It's not that, it's just…" Leah bit her bottom lip before she looked up at Rick, "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I think I can handle a game of touch football," Rick smiled down at her, not understanding the look of apprehension evident on her face.

"Maybe you should explain to him Lee," Sam laughed as Rick turned to glare at him, "It's not just touch football. It's Gabe football."

"The difference being," Rick tried to hold back his animosity, not to let it sound on his voice, but he wasn't entirely successful as the look of Sam's face changed from relaxed to slightly guarded.

"Being –"

"No, no," Leah held out a hand, stopping Sam, "I want to see if he can indeed handle Gabe football. One thing though, Rick…it's about trust."

"Alright," Rick said slowly before he turned to see that the teams had already divided. He moved towards the one with three members –Seth, Jared and Quil.

Turning, he watched as Brady tossed the football he had been holding aside before calling out, "Alright Gabe, let's play football!"

In what seemed like a slowly enfolding nightmare, Rick watched as his son, who had been standing in the middle of what was obviously the football field, ran towards Embry, his little arms spread out to his sides, laughing as Embry rushed towards him, picking him up in his arms before he tossed him towards Rick's team.

Standing there in frozen shock, he watched Seth easily catch his son, running towards the end zone, tossing the laughing boy towards Quil before getting tagged by Paul.

Before he knew it, his son was in the opposite end zone, held high in Jared's arms as the three –four with his son –celebrated the first touchdown.

They all turned to look at him, laughing as he tried to start breathing again. He knew he looked like a large mouth bass but he couldn't help the absolute shock show as he turned to stare at a grinning Leah.

"You let them use my son as a football," Rick's voice was low, a thin threat of anger behind it as Leah stood up, the look of mirth on her face melting easily into the blank look Rick was accustomed to.

"I don't let them use _my son_ as a football," Leah crossed her arms over her chest, "My son does. Try to see if you can stop him. I've given up already."

"Aren't you –this is –damn it Leah! They could drop him! He could get seriously hurt," Rick stalked towards Leah, wanting to wring her neck.

"You think I don't think of that," Leah growled at him, fisting her shaking hands under her armpits, "He's my little boy but he's a strong kid who likes to play rough with his uncles. Besides, I trust every single one of my pack brothers. They would never let him get hurt."

"But sometimes things out of their control can happen," Rick racked his fingers through is shaggy dark blond hair, his blue eyes iced over with anger, "One of them can throw him too long or they might trip before catching him. Stuff happens Leah."

"Yes, stuff happens," Leah's face was tight with anger, her body shaking, "What do you want me to do, Rick? Wrap him up in bubble wrap?"

"No, but perhaps you can curb –"

"I'm not curbing anything," Leah yelled at him as she took a few steps away from him towards the forest, "My son is who he is and if you don't like it, you can get the hell off this reservation!"

Rick watched as Leah turned on her heel, erupting out of her clothes, running four legged into the forest, clothes and sneakers tattered on the ground where she had been standing.

Taking a few deep breaths, he turned to look at the pack, all of who was looking back at him.

"You're screwed," Paul held Gabe in his arms, the little boy's eyes wide in surprise, "Those were her favorite jeans."


	46. Chapter 45

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's the next chapter! Thanks for the reviews and I apologize ahead of time for not updating two chapters at once. As it is, I have yet to start the next chapter although I know what it will be...what will it be, you ask? Hint...full moon! Enjoy and review!**

**Chapter Forty-Five**

"Ice cream?"

"Ice cream," Rick smiled at her as she stared up at him in shock, "To celebrate our first fight."

"You want to celebrate our first fight," Leah gave him a look of surprise, "With ice cream?"

"Yeah," Rick grinned as Leah's eyebrows lowered in confusion, "Don't get me wrong, _pedhaki mou_, I don't want you mad at me twenty-four seven. But you don't hold back when you're angry. I like that."

Leah bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes widening at the strange endearment. He'd never use any before, whether in English or Greek.

Rick reached out to take her hand, lacing his fingers with hers, thinking she was still suspicious about his invitation, "Come on, Leah _mou_. It's just ice cream..."

Sucking in a breath, she bit her lip, wanting to ask him what he was about, using foreign endearments…at least she hoped they were endearments.

"I'll tell you about my hometown," Rick pulled her closer, his breath stirring the fine hairs of her hairline.

Staring up at him, she smile wistfully, shaking her head, "You play dirty."

"I play to win," Rick whispered, his hot breath brushing her lips before he pressed his mouth against hers, running his tongue over her bottom lip before pulling back, "Come?"

Leah looked into his light blue eyes, seeing the desire he'd always had for her in them, along with appreciation.

That was what tugged out her answer.

"Okay."

* * *

"Vanilla. Two scoops," Rick looked down into Leah's face, fascinated by the intensity displayed on her face as she looked over the options, "What would you like,_ glikia_ _mou_?"

Leah looked up at him, her wide brown-green eyes searching his face.

He knew why she seemed so disconcerted and off-balance but he wasn't going to explain.

He was having a hard time of it himself, trying to understand why, out of the blue, these endearments were rolling off his tongue so easily.

Turning back, Leah smiled at the boy behind the counter, "Rocky road with hot fudge and extra nuts."

The boy nodded with a goofy grin on his face as he kept staring at Leah.

Feeling slightly put off, Rick pulled out his wallet, handing over the money before taking their orders, following Leah as she made her way outside to a table on the side deck of the ice cream shop.

"I was wrong," Rick placed Leah's ice cream before her, then sat down next to her, taking the spoon she offered him.

"About what," Leah shifted slightly trying to put space between them, her thigh accidentally rubbing against his, setting off a chain reaction of tingling nerves so acute, she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from groaning.

It was crazy, but the more time she spent with him, the more she desired him.

"I assumed you to be a simple ice cream girl," Rick reached out to touch her bare shoulder, smiling at the small shiver that ran down her body, "Strawberry perhaps…or chocolate. Definitely chocolate."

"I'm a complex kind of girl," Leah swallowed a spoonful of her ice cream, trying to ignore the feelings of excitement and arousal that seemed to be growing in leaps and bounds, "Your ice cream's melting."

"A complex girl," Rick took a spoonful of his plain vanilla ice cream, "That's for sure. Simple you are not."

He was surprised that he found that intriguing. A challenge.

Who would have thought it?

Rick had always assumed complex women to be too much work and had thanked the gods for the simple girl Ileana had been.

Yet, here he was, intrigued by the complexity of Leah.

A definite complication that not only intrigued him but somehow stimulated him, constantly challenging him.

Just like her smile.

That damn sweet smile of hers, constantly challenging him.

"You promised to tell me about your hometown," Leah interrupted his musings, halfway finished with her ice cream.

Rick's light blue eyes locked with hers, seeing the genuine interest there.

Then again, that genuity shouldn't surprise him. She had always been honest and sincere.

He wondered if she even knew how to lie.

"So I did." Finishing his ice cream, he wiped his hands and mouth before turning on the bench to straddle it, moving closer to Leah until her lower back was resting against his thigh.

"I was born and raised in Loutsa, Greece. It's situated on the east coast of Athens."

"What's it like," Leah's entire body was tense, growing hotter as Rick placed his arm around her waist, his hand resting on her hip as he laid the other one across the table, his fingers creating havoc as they drew patters on her sun-warmed arm.

"It's a fishing town…with miles of forest acreage. We –the pack –comprised of a small community, deep in the heart of the forest," Rick moved his hand, tucking her hair behind a small perfectly shaped ear, noticing she had a scattering of freckles across her shoulder and collarbone, "Because we were a large pack, and we were duty bound to keep our existence a secret from outsiders. We pretty much kept to ourselves."

"How many were there in the pack," Leah swallowed, trying to get rid of the sudden huskiness in her voice.

"Mmm," Rick pressed a kiss against her shoulder, "That wasn't the deal. I promised to tell you about my hometown. The pack is a discussion for another day."

"Oh," Leah closed her eyes, reminding herself how to breathe properly but it wasn't working. Not when his fingers brushed against her shoulder blades, leaving behind a trail of fire.

It had been a stupid idea to wear a halter top.

"We have miles of beaches. They're a tourist attraction which means too many people. The town lives off of tourism and fishing," pushing her hair back, he pressed his mouth to the side of her neck, brushing the tip of his tongue against her warm skin, "You taste so good, _hara mou_."

"I don't like seeing you manhandling my sister in public."

Seth's words broke the sensuous web Rick had been weaving around Leah, making her blush and making him curse softly under his breath in his native tongue.

Leah looked at her brother, not surprised as the whole pack –and their respective imprints –moved closer to their table.

"Public displays of affection as so disgusting," Paul grimaced at them before turning to kiss Rachel, whom he held next to him, arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Paul!" Rachel pushed him away, her face flushing, a small smile on her lips.

"Hey," Seth moved behind Leah, "Monkey's been dying to see you."

Leah laughed as her son's flushed face appeared before her, his straight dark hair standing on end.

"Mama! Gabe flip!"

"Yes," Leah kissed his nose, "Gabe flip indeed. Tell your Uncle Seth to put you down before all your blood goes to your head."

"Unca Eth! Down!"

Seth laughed as he lowered Gabe into Leah's arms, hands secure around his little ankles until Leah had him, helping him scramble upright in her arms, his bared feet leaving dirty imprints on her white jeans.

"Where are your shoes," Leah buzzed Gabe's cheek, smiling at his laughter.

"No shoes! No socks!"

"No problem!" The pack called out in unison, making Gabe laugh, his little hands patting Leah's cheeks before he leaned in to kiss her nose.

Rick tried to swallow past the lump in his throat as he watched Leah rub her nose against his son's, their eyes locked on each other.

Leah was truly a beautiful mother.

"Rick's paying for the ice cream," Seth yelled out as the pack headed to the shop, turning a toothy grin towards Rick.

"Sure," Rick pulled out his wallet and tossed it to Seth, smiling in admiration at how fast the kid moved.

"You don't have to," Leah looked at him, the tip of her tongue darting out to moisten her lips as she tried to ignore how close his face was to hers. All she had to do was lean in a little –

"I don't mind," Rick leaned in, the tip of his nose brushing hers before he brushed his lips against hers, his heart speeding up as she sighed, her lips parting a bit.

Angling his head, he slid his tongue into her mouth, the sweeteness that was Leah overwhelming him as he deepened the kiss…it had been so long…

"No!"

Rick pulled back, Gabriel's little hands pushing him away from Leah.

Gabriel frowned at him as he wrapped his little arms around Leah's neck, "Mine!"

"Indeed she is, _kyrio,_" Rick chuckled, reaching out to ruffle his silky hair, "But you're going to have to learn to share."

"No! Mama mine!"

Leah pressed her hot cheek against Gabe's forehead, "Gabe doesn't like that word. Despite our attempts at teaching him how to share, he won't do it."

"But I've seen him play with Sam's kids."

"Oh, he's fine with sharing his toys," Leah smiled as Gabe snuggled into her arms, keeping his big baby blue eyes on Rick, "Just not the one he's got. A couple of months ago, he was playing with a plastic airplane Linda –Sam's mom –had given him for his first birthday. Bradley wanted to play with it too but Gabe wouldn't let him touch it. He kept shoving his other toys at Bradley but refused to let him touch his airplane."

Rick chuckled, reaching out to brush his thumb over Gabriel's pudgy cheek, "Possessive are you now? You're going to have to learn to curb that, _kyrio_."

Gabriel shook his head, snuggling deeper into Leah's arms.

"Thanks for the ice cream Rick," Collin sat across them, the pack joining him soon after.

"No problem," Rick caught his wallet mid-air, which Seth had tossed at him several feet away before reaching the table.

"Full moon tonight Lee," Seth squeezed in beside Leah, forcing her to scoot closer to Rick, "You camping with us tonight?"

"I…" Leah turned to look at Rick, her arms loosening around Gabe as he noticed his uncle's ice cream, "I don't think I am, Seth. I have to keep Rick…the wolf from wandering into the reservation."

"Why don't you bring him along," Seth laughed as Gabriel climbed over his mother towards him, reaching for his ice cream.

"I don't know," Leah gnawed on her bottom lip, "I mean…" she turned to look at Rick, "Would Gabe be safe around him?"

Rick quirked an eyebrow, noticing the entire pack was shamelessly watching them, "I take it they know? About Gabriel?"

"Yes –" Leah's eyebrows lowered in confusion, "How did you know?"

"He's my son therefore he's got my genes," Rick watched with a smile as Gabriel stuck his fingers into Seth's ice cream, licking them with abandonment, "Boys tend to transform on their first full moon and only on the full moon nights until they hit puberty, then the transformations happen with the phases of the moon. The wolf will immediately recognize Gabriel as his offspring. He'll be fine."

Leah nodded, thinking it fair to let the wolf meet his pup. He had, afterall, been the most loyal and attentive out of the two.

Shaking her head, Leah tried not to laugh.

Sometimes, it was like she'd imprinted on two different people…in one man.

A split personality. Oh boy.

"Hey Lee," Rachel took the napkin Paul handed her, wiping Bailey's face, whom she help in her lap, "I have a question to ask you but why don't you introduce your…friend first?"

"Friends don't kiss," Paul grumbled, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched Gabe making a mess with Seth's ice cream.

"Goodness gracious Paul," Rachel elbowed him in the ribs, "It's like you're tact deficient or something."

Leah chuckled before she turned to Rick, hyperaware of how the side of her body was resting against his chest, "You've met the pack as well as Emily and the kids. Well, except for Claire, who's sitting next to Quil. She's Emily's niece. Next to Jared is his wife Kim. And that's Rachel Black, Paul's imprint."

"You know it drives me crazy when you say imprint instead of fiancée," Rachel gave Leah a smug smile as she held out her left hand.

"Oh my God," Leah reached across the table, admiring the princess cut engagement ring on her third finger, "He actually proposed?"

"Yeah," she frowned at Paul before turning back to Leah, "It took about half a year to make him realize that just because I'm his imprint didn't mean he should take for granted that I'd marry him."

"Took me a while but I came around," Paul took Rachel's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"And since we're talking about weddings, what I wanted to ask you was if you'd be one of the bridesmaids," Rachel smiled at Leah, using her thumb to turn the ring on her finger, a nervous habit she'd recently developed.

Leah smiled at Rachel, trying to ignore the fact that Rick had placed his hand on her thigh, his fingers rubbing against the denim in a completely distracting manner, "Sure. I'd be honored."

Rachel's smile grew, pleased that Leah had agreed.

"Did you say you're Rachel Black," Rick kept his eyes on Rachel, purposely sliding the hand he had on Leah's hip under the halter top, his fingers stroking the warm silky skin of her waist.

"I didn't, Leah did," Rachel slipped her straight black hair over her shoulder, "Why?"

"Are you, by any chance, related to Jacob Black?"

"He's my little brother," Rachel's dark eyes widened in anticipation, "How do you know him?"

"He was one of my students at Dartmouth," Rick watched out of the corner of his eye as Leah shook her head slightly, somehow understanding that no one except him and Leah knew about Jacob.

"Wow," Rachel tucked a hunk of her hair behind her ear, "My kid brother going to Dartmouth. Who would've thought it possible?"

"Definitely not me," Paul muttered, taking a sleeping Bailey from Rachel as she turned to glare at him, "What? We all knew Jacob didn't like school. The only time he got good grades was when he had Bella for a study buddy."

"Kim," Leah decided to redirect the conversation, "Have you found out the sex of the baby yet?"

"We've gone for our second ultrasound but the baby keeps hiding so we don't know yet," Kim smiled at Jared before kissing Nika's forehead, the little girl asleep in her father's arms, "Nika wants a brother so we're hoping for a boy."

"If not, we'll just keep trying until she gets her little brother," Jared chuckled at the blush that painted Kim's cheeks, leaning in to kiss her.

"We gotta go," Seth stood up, along with Quil and Embry, Gabe asleep in his arms, "We've got patrols. Do you want me to take him to mom's or do you want to do it?"

Leah stood up, taking her little boy in her arms, wrinkling her nose at his sticky hands as he sighed and snuggled into her, one hand reaching out and grabbing a hank of her hair, "Mom went to the movies with Charlie so I'll take him."

"Are we meeting before the full moon," Seth cleaned his hands with a napkin, grimacing as he looked down at his stained white T-shirt.

An, the hazards of having a nephew.

"No," Leah kissed her son's forehead, wondering how he'd gotten ice cream on his hair, "We'll find you at midnight."

"Alright," picking up his trash Seth turned to leave, making a sudden turn to look at Rick, "Do you carry your clothes with you when you transform?"

Rick arched an eyebrow, wondering what the kid meant, "No. I leave it by a tree."

Seth turned to look at his brothers, all of them slowly smiling.

"No," Leah glared at them.

"What?" They all tried for an innocent look, failing miserably.

"You will not take his clothes and leave him wandering around the forest naked."

"Who? Us?" Collin widened his eyes, a look of fake offence on his face.

"Yes you," Leah sat down, readjusting Gabe's hefty weight.

Rick chuckled as he moved closer to Leah, "It's been done before."

"Really? By who?" Brady took Rachel's trash as he got to his feet.

"My younger brother Xerxes," Rick kept his eyes on Leah's profile, the memory washing over him, "Some of us transform earlier than others. My brother always transformed earlier than me. Whenever I made him angry, he would take my clothes the next morning as retaliation."

"Well, it's not fun if it's been done," Seth tossed his trash into a nearby trashcan, "Anyway, I'll take an extra pair of my shorts. Embry, Quil, let's go."

Leah smiled at her brother as he kissed the top of Gabe's head before turning away, followed by Quil and Embry.

"Well," Leah turned to look at the rest of her pack, "I'm taking Gabe home to bathe him and lay him down."

"I'll go with you," Rick offered, placing his hand on her lower back as she turned to look at him, just staring quietly for a few minutes.

Taking a deep breath, she looked down at her little boy's sleeping face, "I suppose you can…Sure."

Waving good-bye at the pack, Rick and Leah turned away, her arms wrapped tight around her son, his arm wrapped around her waist.

Emily turned to Sam, a smile on her face, her eyes twinkling, "I think it's working."

"Looks like it," Sam kept his eyes on them, wondering if Emily was right.

It looked like it…but he decided to reserve his judgment until irrefutable proof was presented.


	47. Chapter 46

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Many apologies to all you readers and reviewers! I've finally gotten three more chapters out and have made the time to update them. Yes! I am updating all three chapters! The story is getting close to the end and it makes me excited, although I may be sad when I finally get to the end (which is already in my head). Enjoy the chapter, remember to review and keep reading! **

**Oh! Hilja, hope your vacation went swell! I held off from updating because I hadn't heard from you and it almost made me cry. You're one of my special reviewers and I notice when you don't speak up. So...speak up!**

**Chapter Forty-Six**

"Thank you for helping," Leah whispered as she closed her bedroom door, the baby monitor in hand.

"No problem," Rick brushed his hand over his wet t-shirt, smiling ruefully as he flashed back to earlier when he'd assisted Leah in bathing a suddenly energetic one year old, "I had fun."

"Sorry about your shirt," Leah glanced at the wet shirt molded to Rick's chest, looking away as her heartbeat sped up, "Would you like one of Seth's?"

"No, that's alright," Rick followed behind Leah as she headed down the stairs, watching her hips sway. _Zeus_, it had been two years since he'd last held her in his arms. Two years since he last touched her, kissed her…possessed her.

Stifling a groan as he turned to follow Leah into the living room, he stuffed his fisted hands into the pockets of his jeans, taking a deep breath as he tried to control his arousal.

It wouldn't be good to lose his focus.

Leah. His son. Family. Think of that.

"Besides," Rick walked towards the fireplace mantel, his eyes moving over the dozens of pictures, easily picking out Leah as she grew from a chubby cheeked bright eyed baby to an awkward preteen, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have touched you while he was playing with you."

"True," Leah tried not to laugh as she recalled Gabe's reaction to Rick running his fingers through her hair. The little boy had dropped her hand, picked up his little bucket where she kept his bath toys, filled it with water then proceeded to toss it at Rick, his aim true as the warm water hit Rick in the face.

Frowning, Rick kept his eyes on the pictures, noticing Seth as a teenager in some, a pretty woman that looked like Leah, therefore must be her mother in others, a man that was an older version of Seth obviously her father, but something was missing… "Where are all the pictures of you as a teenager?"

Leah looked over at the mantel before heading towards the utility room through the kitchen, returning with a laundry basket filled with a freshly dried load of Gabe's clothes, "I got rid of them…several years ago."

"Why," Rick turned to watch her as she sorted his son's tiny clothes into shorts, pants, shirts and socks.

"They all had Sam in it," her voice sounded normal as Rick cocked his head to the side, wondering if she was still hung up on him, if she still had even a scrap of love for the one she had chosen to give her heart to.

Why did it bother him so much if she did? After all, she didn't begrudge the fact that he had once loved another woman...still loved her.

But, in his defense, Ileana was no longer in his life. Sam was still very much in hers.

And that's why it bothered him. Not because he was jealous. Not because he cared…

Did he care?

Avoiding the answer to that loaded question, he walked around the couch and reached for a green and blue striped shirt, holding it in his hands, "Does this still fit Gabriel?"

Leah looked up from folding a pair of small denim pants, "No. These are all Gabe's baby clothes. I finally pulled them out of the closet to make room for new clothes. I washed these so I can pack them and give them to Kim…just in case they have a boy."

"Don't you want another baby," Rick folded the tiny t-shirt in half then in half again, "Another little boy?"

Leah tried not to blush as she folded navy blue shorts, "I wasn't thinking of that when I took the clothes out. Besides, I already offered them to Kim and she was happy to take them. Gabe grew up so fast he didn't get a chance to wear half of these clothes."

Rick looked over his shoulder at the pictures on the mantle before turning back to Leah, "Did you not get any pictures taken when you were pregnant?"

Leah looked up at him, her brown-green eyes wide with surprise before she was able to disguise her reaction with a mildly blanked expression, "Mom took some. That I know of, she hasn't developed the film yet."

Rick moved closer to her, his fingers wrapping around her wrist, pulling her closer as he brushed her cheek with his free hand, breathing in the fresh baby scent of Gabriel's shampoo, wondering if it was coming from her or from him, "You must have looked beautiful…round with my child," Rick brushed his nose along her jaw, breathing in the sweet spicy scent that was Leah alone, "Glowing."

He felt her tremble as he slowly wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her lower back, hers fisted against his chest as he lowered his head, nibbling her lower lip, his tongue sliding over it before it teased the corner of her mouth, asking without words for her to open up to him.

Pulling her in closer, he angled his head as she sighed, taking advantage of her parting lips, his tongue sweeping in, teasing hers, savoring her unique taste. Curling his tongue around hers, he sucked on it softly, a groan deep in his throat as she let her head fall back, her tongue luring him to a deeper kiss as he slowly moved his hands over her rounded hips, up her nipped waist, his thumbs brushing over a slightly rounded stomach that had once been flat, but his ultimate destination was –

A clearing throat made Leah jump, her face flushing as she stepped away from him, looking towards the front door, "Mom. Charlie. How was the movie?"

Rick took another step away from Leah as he kept his eyes on Leah's mother. She was beautiful. If that was what Leah would look like ten, twenty years from now, he was one lucky guy.

Because her kiss revealed to him that he was winning.

"Mom, Charlie," Leah busied herself with Gabe's clothes, avoiding her mother's eyes, "This is Rick Laskaris," she looked his way for a split second before dropping her gaze, "This is my mother, Sue Clearwater and her boyfriend Charlie Swan. He's Forks' sheriff."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Clearwater…Officer Swan," Rick nodded his head towards them, sliding his trembling hands into his pants' pockets.

He was still aching for Leah.

Sue gave him a look that let him know she knew what he was thinking before she turned to look at her daughter, "Leah, is he…"

Leah looked up from the little socks she was pairing up, her face still slightly rosy, "Yes, he is."

Sue nodded before she turned to look at Rick, her slightly tipped eyes studying him in a way that made him want to squirm, "Leah, could you please excuse us? I'd like to speak to Mr. Laskaris in private."

Leah dropped the socks, her lips parted in surprise as she looked at her mother before looking at Rick, "I, uh, okay, sure. I guess I could…I mean, Gabe's asleep…Seth's picking him up later for the camping trip but I guess I can…"

"Leah," Charlie cut in, smiling at Sue before turning back to her daughter, "How about you walk me out to the car? There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Oh, okay" Leah nodded, giving Rick a strange look before walking out the front door, followed by Charlie.

Rick stood still, waiting for Sue Clearwater to speak first, watching her as she watched him.

* * *

Sue was having a hard time controlling her emotions.

This was the man. The one that had made her baby girl forget Sam. The one that had hurt her all over again, left her alone and pregnant. This was the one that had made her baby cry.

"Mr. Laskaris," Sue walked past him, glancing down at the couch, a tiny smile on her face as she brushed her hand over her grandson's clothes, "How old are you?"

"Thirty-eight, ma'am," Rick watched the surprise on her face as she turned to look at him.

"So you were thirty-six when you met my daughter," Sue tried to get pass the shock of knowing her daughter had gotten involved with a man more than ten years her senior.

"Yes ma'am."

"My daughter had just turned twenty-three when she left La Push," Sue grabbed the laundry basket, holding on tight to it.

"May I be bold, Mrs. Clearwater," Rick turned to face her, keeping his hands in his pockets and his control on his emotions.

"Yes, you may."

"Leah is not a child. She's a grown woman able to make her own decisions."

"True," Sue looked down at her grandson's clothes before looking up at him again, "Why are you here, Mr. Laskaris?"

"Excuse me?"

"Here in La Push. In Washington. What are your intentions?"

"My intentions," Rick cocked an eyebrow, wondering how many times he was going to be asked that question, "My intentions are honorable. I came for Leah. And once I got here and found out I had a son, I want him too."

"You came for Leah," Sue narrowed her eyes, "Are you planning on taking them both back to New Hampshire?"

"No," Rick shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "But I would like to take them back to Greece with me."

Sue stared at him, knowing that he had never mentioned that to Leah, "To Greece? Do you understand, Mr. Laskaris that La Push is where my daughter's roots are? That when she came back after being gone for eight months, she swore she would never leave again? This is where her family is…where her pack is…where her support is. You can't take her away from that. You can't take my daughter to Greece."

"Mrs. Clearwater," Rick took a deep breath, "I will be her family, her support. She and our son belong with me. Where I go, they go. What else could be expected?"

"I'll tell you what I expect," Sue placed the laundry basket back on the couch, moving towards Rick, "I expect you to never make my daughter cry. I expect you to not hurt her ever again. I expect you to not leave her. I expect you to never deny her what she wants or needs. I will tell you right now; Sam, Seth, the pack may be able to tear you apart because of what they are, but me…if you don't meet my expectations…I will destroy you. Is that clear?"

Rick stared at her, realizing now where Leah got her aggressive temper from, thinking that if Sue had been a werewolf like her daughter, she would have been a seriously dangerous wolverine, "Clear."

"Mom," Leah opened the door, tugging her lip with her teeth, "The sun is starting to set. Rick has to go…he's got…things to do."

Rick turned to look at Leah, noticing a slight puffiness to her eyes that betrayed the fact she had cried while outside. He hoped it had nothing to do with them.

"That's alright," Sue smiled at her daughter, "We're done talking…for now."

"Rick," Leah turned to look at him, "I'll walk you to…"

"Sure," Rick turned to look at Sue, nodding at her, "It was a pleasure meeting you Mrs. Clearwater."

Sue watched them leave, wondering if he understood how much he had revealed in the short conversation they had had.

Probably not.

She would just have to wait and see.

But one thing she knew for sure…there was no way in hell, earth or heaven that he was going to take her daughter and grandson away.

* * *

Rick took Leah's hand, lifting it to press his mouth against the back of her hand, "Why were you crying, Leah _mou_?"

Leah glanced up at him, "How did you know I was crying?"

"Your eyes," Rick stopped at the edge of the woods, turning to look down at Leah, reaching up to brush her hair back from her face, "They were puffy when you came back in."

"It wasn't anything bad," Leah looked down at the monitor in her hand before she looked up at Rick, "Charlie wanted to ask my permission about something. I promised not to say anything until he talked to Seth."

Rick chuckled, knowing what Leah was trying not to say, "Are you coming with me?"

"Uh," Leah bit her lip, flashing back to the first full moon they had shared, "No. I have to wait for Seth to pick up Gabe. I'll find you."

"You better hurry then," Rick kissed the tip of her nose, "Otherwise, he's gonna come looking for you. We both know what that will lead to."

"I'll be there," Leah smiled up at him, her pulse speeding up as he brushed his mouth over hers, tugging on her bottom lip before he slid his tongue into her mouth. A small moan escaped her as she gravitated closer to him, her body flowing into his as she savored the taste of his kiss. It was smoky, earthy…utter ambrosia for her.

Pulling back, Rick smiled down at her, his eyes moving over her face as he lifted his fingers to her swollen lips, "I'll see you in a few."

Leah nodded, rooted to the ground as she watched him walk away from her and into the forest, her heart beating so hard it actually hurt.

She was being silly. She was going to see him in a few hours.

"Mama!"

Leah looked down at the baby monitor, smiling as her son continued to call out for her. Turning back to the house, she reminded herself that this was what was most important. Her little boy was her life, her everything.

He was the reason she was still holding back.

That and her own self-preservation.

* * *

Seth chuckled mentally as he watched his nephew, whom he nicknamed Spastic during the full moon nights, run around in circles, stumbling over his oversized paws, which he still had a long way to grow into.

Letting out a playful growl, Spastic launched towards Seth, nipping at his legs. Without much force, Seth nudged him with his muzzle, letting out a bark-laugh when Spastic tumbled onto his back, his legs flailing in the air before he righted himself.

**Leah:** _You nicknamed my son Spastic?_

**Seth:**_ No, I nicknamed our full moon puppy Spastic. Which he is. Where are you?_

**Leah:**_ A few miles north of you. _

Seth lowered himself to the ground, laughing mentally as Spastic began trying to clamber onto him. During the full moon, Gabe phased to a full grown wolf. Well, a normal sized wolf, which, compared to Seth's size and height, really placed him on the puppy category.

Through the pack's memories, he knew that Rick was as large in size as any of the Quilete shape-shifters, although a little leaner in the flank. So he had to wonder whether Spastic would become a lean werewolf like his father or a bulky one like his uncle. Actually, the lean factor could be due to his sister as well. Out of all of them, Leah was the thinnest and smallest of the werewolves. Even Collin and Brady had grown into their size.

Shaking, he tumbled Spastic onto the ground, tugging him under his front paws where he then proceeded to nip at him playfully, foiling the puppy's every attempt at escaping.

A slight noise to the north brought Seth to his feet and the puppy scampering to hide under Seth's big form.

Narrowing his eyes, he watched Leah walk out of the forest shadows into their camping meadow by the river, a lean sandy colored wolf close by her side, his head resting on her shoulder.

Shifting a bit, he watched with interest as the wolf moved, stepping in front of Leah, his ears flattening.

**Seth:** _Holy crap, he's like my wolf double!_

**Leah:**_ Believe me, I know. First time I saw him, I thought it was you._

**Seth:**_ Oh please. I'm way buffer._

Leah mentally laughed as she watched her puppy slowly move from under Seth, approaching the wolf bit by bit, his body low to the ground.

**Seth:** _Spastic seems to know the wolf's an Alpha. He's never acted like that whenever Sam's been around._

**Leah:**_ That's because Spastic is not part of Sam's pack. Up until now, he's pretty much been solo…kind of._

**Seth:**_ It's gonna be a bitch if vampires ever come in the area…I mean, how the hell do you handle having two Alphas?_

**Leah:**_ I don't know. I hope we never have to find out._

Leah watched with interest as her puppy finally reached the wolf, rolling over onto his back to expose his soft belly. Holding her breath, she watched the wolf sniff him, his muzzle rubbing the puppy's soft underbelly before he licked the puppy's face.

The puppy rolled over onto his feet, scampering around the wolf, barking as the wolf moved to nip at him playfully.

**Seth:** _Looks like they've bonded. I'm taking off in about half an hour._

**Leah: **_Why?_

**Seth: **_I don't want to be a third wheel on this family reunion. Besides, I think Spastic's excited enough to see the wolf, he won't miss me._

**Leah:**_ Seth, there's no need for you to leave. You've been with Spastic –dammit! Now you've got me calling him that. Anyway, you've been there every full moon since the first one. You shouldn't have to go._

**Seth:**_ Don't worry about it. Besides, I have a date._

**Leah:**_ You have a date?_

**Seth: **_Yup, I have a date._

**Leah:**_ Seth, it's two in the morning!_

**Seth:**_ Leah, I'm nineteen years old. I'm going to be twenty in three months. Why shouldn't I have a date?_

**Leah:**_ At two in the morning?_

**Seth: **_Yep. I'm gonna go and wake her up. See ya!_

**Leah:**_ Seth!_

**Seth:**_ Adios!_

Leah watched her brother disappear into the trees, wondering what nineteen year old girl would be allowed to go out at two in the morning…well, if she lived on her own. Here at the reservation? No, it had to be at Forks.

Turning back to the wolf and her puppy, she sat back on her haunches and watched as the wolf and puppy played with each other.

She couldn't help feeling satisfied at the outcome. She was definitely looking forward to the next four hours of playtime between her puppy and the wolf.


	48. Chapter 47

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Warning! This chapter is a little more graphic in the intimate details but not as graphic as another upcoming chapter. Anyway, don't forget to review!**

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

The weight of a heavy bundle on his chest was what woke him up. Stretching, Rick looked down, a tired smile on his dusty face as he gently placed a large hand on his son's warm back.

Breathing in deep, he rubbed his hand against the soft baby skin, his fingers encountering the edge of a diaper. Wrapping his arms around the small hefty body, he slowly moved into a sitting position, breathing in deep his son's baby scent, which was mixed with the smell of dirt and sweat.

Kissing his forehead, he laid him down on the sleeping bag spread out under him, stretching his arms over his head as he looked around.

There she was…

* * *

Leah sighed as the cool river water moved over and around her legs. Closing her eyes, she leaned back onto her hands, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it moved over her skin, creating a wonderful contrast against the cold water that covered her up to her knees.

Yawning, she turned to look over her shoulder, watching Rick as he laid down a sleeping Gabe onto the sleeping back, stretching his arms over his head before he turned to look around.

Grabbing a pair of cut-off shorts beside the sleeping bag, Rick stood up; a chuckle escaped him as Leah quickly looked away.

Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the heat that moved through her body, doing her best to blank out her mind.

Biting down on her lip, she tried to recall the antics of the wolf and her puppy but no matter how hard she tried her glimpse of Rick's naked body kept intruding.

"So how did you sleep last night," Rick lowered himself next to her, plunging his legs into the cold water.

"I didn't," Leah looked over her shoulder again, smiling at the sprawled out form of her sleeping baby, "I had to keep watch over you two."

"Ah," Rick looked over his shoulder, smiling as he recalled another little boy and other full moon nights playing with an almost white puppy, "Was it a good night?"

"Yes," Leah looked up at him, smiling as she recalled their antics, "They bonded very well."

"He's such a unique little boy," Rick looked down at the running water, wondering why he'd never realized she had extremely sexy feet, "So different from Nicolai."

Leah turned to look at him, her winged eyebrows lowering in confusion.

Rick took a deep breath, looking up into the trees, watching the dust motes dance around in the slight breeze before he looked into Leah's eyes, "Nicolai was my son."

"Was," Leah swallowed, trying not to let her eyes water.

"He didn't survive," Rick kept his eyes on her face, watching the emotions move across her exotic features, "He was four when the pack was ambushed."

"What was Nicolai like," Leah blinked as she thought of the fear that little boy must have been feeling that hateful day. She now understood why Rick held so much inside him. Why his loneliness seemed to be overwhelming at times.

"He was a quiet little kid," Rick closed his eyes, leaning back onto his hands, "A tow head with blue eyes. That's the only thing he and Gabriel have in common. While Gabriel's loud and full of energy, always willing to laugh and smile, Nic was reserved, quiet, kept to himself. A smile from him was something to treasure because they were so few. And when he laughed…"

"Was he shy," Leah pulled her legs out of the water, wrapping her arms around her drawn up knees.

"He was," Rick shook his head, running his hand through his hair, "He enjoyed playing alone and liked it when I read to him before he went to sleep. His best friend was one of my brother's kids. That was the only time when he would break out and go crazy, when he would actually get in trouble. Lyandros and Nicolai together were an absolute nightmare."

Leah chuckled as she imagined two little boys creating havoc, "I bet those are your best memories."

"Yeah, they are," Rick sighed before he turned to look at Leah, noticing all the bare skin exposed by the tiny tank top and the Daisy Duke cut off shorts, "Do you always make a habit of wearing such a small amount of clothes?"

"Just on the nights I phase," Leah looked down at herself, not seeing anything wrong, "The less amount of clothes I carry, the better."

"Mmm," Rick nodded, sliding his hand across her jaw and cupping her chin, "I kind of like that theory."

Leah stared up at him, trying to remember how to breathe. He was too close, too warm, too –

Sliding his thumb across her bottom lip, he dipped his head, sucking her lip for a few seconds before nipping it with his teeth, "You have such a beautiful mouth, _koukla mou_. And your eyes…did you know there's brown in them?"

Leah sucked in a breath, "I've been told green."

"No," Rick moved his lips across her jaw, tugging at her earlobe with his teeth, "There are these golden brown flecks mixed in with the dark green. They're gorgeous."

Closing her eyes, Leah let her head fall back, trying to keep from moaning at the pleasure that was slowly spreading from where his lips were on her neck to the rest of her nerve endings.

Moving his hand to rest on the ground beside her body, Rick covered her mouth, sliding his tongue over her bottom lip before invading it, her sweet taste going straight to his head…and other places.

Leah couldn't hold herself up anymore, her arms were shaking so bad she finally let herself lay back onto the ground, Rick following without breaking the kiss. Sliding one hand over his bare chest, she groaned as she felt his hand slide over her stomach, under her tank top and towards her breast.

Breaking the kiss, Rick looked down into her eyes, shifting his weight over her to slide his free hand into her hair, "_Se thelo_…I want you."

Sliding her hands into his hair, she pulled him down, taking his bottom lip between hers and sucking on it before sliding her tongue into his mouth, kissing him with all the pent up desire she had been holding back.

Covering her breast with his hand, he slowly took control of the kiss, rubbing his thumb over her nipple, groaning as it peaked.

He wanted her so bad, he was shaking. And her obvious need for him was making it harder to keep his control.

Leah knew she had to stop. She wasn't ready for this –

"Leah_ mou_," Rick nipped her shoulder, sliding the strap of her tank top down her arm to give him free access to her silky smooth skin, "Tell me you want me."

"I do," Leah gasped as Rick slid his hand down her stomach, undoing the buttons of her cut-offs, "Rick, I'm not –"

"Shh," Rick slid his hand into her cut-offs, groaning at the wet heat of her, "You're not wearing underwear."

"Fewer clothes to carry," Leah arched her hips, trying to remember why she didn't want this as his fingers moved over her, a moan escaping as he pressed closer.

"No bra and no panties," he whispered against her shoulder, using his tongue to count the freckles he had spotted the other day, "Liking your fewer clothes theory more and more."

"Rick," Leah couldn't help moving her hips in response to his stimulating fingers, feeling her body getting tighter and hotter, wanting nothing more than to give in to the growing waves of pleasure that kept undulating throughout her body, "Oh God…"

Rick wanted her…needed her…tugging her tank top down, he latched on to her naked breast, sucking at her peaked nipple as he reached down to undo his zipper.

Pushing a finger into her, he groaned at finding her so wet and hot and ready for him. Giving her nipple one last lick, he moved his mouth up her neck to whisper hotly into her ear, "You want me _yineka_ _mou_. You're so hot and ready for me to take you."

Leah shook her head, trying to get it together, "Not here, Rick. Not now."

"Then when," Rick took her hand and guided it down his body, groaning as her fingers closed around him, "Because I need you so bad, I'm hurting."

"I don't know," Leah stared into his eyes, wanting so bad to give in to him but she wasn't ready.

Sucking in a deep breath, Rick rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he tried to reign in his desire.

He tugged her hand out of his pants, groaning as her slim fingers gave him one more squeeze before letting go, "You're evil Leah _mou_."

Leah giggled, biting her lip to keep from protesting as he slipped his hand out from her cut-offs, his wet fingers brushing over her stomach as he tried to button her up one-handed.

Giving up, he rolled onto his back, stacking his hands behind his head as he took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he fought for control over his raging libido.

Leah tugged her tank top up to cover her breast before reaching down to button her shorts, her shaking fingers making it difficult.

"Mama?"

Sitting up, she looked over her shoulder, her body still shaking with unfulfilled need as her little boy sat up, rubbing his eyes before pushing himself to his feet and tottering towards her, his sleepy face breaking out into his sunny smile, "Good morning munchkin."

"Good 'ning mama!"

Throwing himself into her arms, he squeezed her neck, giving her a sloppy kiss on the cheek before snuggling into her lap with a sigh.

"Can you say good morning to Rick," Leah buzzed his cheek, smiling at his free laughter as he turned to look at Rick, who had sat up, arms loosely wrapped around his drawn up legs.

"Good 'ning Rick!"

"Good morning Gabriel," Rick smiled at his son, thinking how beautiful Leah looked, still flushed with desire, arms wrapped around their sturdy little boy, "Did you have fun last night?"

Gabe nodded, bouncing in his mother's arms.

"Does he remember," Leah looked from her son's glowing face to Rick, trying not to feel pleased as he shifted uncomfortably on the ground.

"The younger you are, the more you can remember the full moon nights," Rick leaned forward, reaching out to tousle Gabriel's hair, laughing as the little boy frowned at him.

"Makes sense but I wasn't sure," Leah looked up at the sky before turning to look at Rick, "We should go. Mother's waiting and I have to go to work in a couple of hours."

"You go ahead," Rick smiled as she stood up, not able to keep himself from admiring her long smooth legs, "I'm gonna take a swim…cool off. Leave the stuff. I'll drop it off."

"Okay," Leah moved towards the duffel bag by the sleeping bag, pulling out her canvas shoes and slipping them on, "Rick, I'm sorry about –"

"No, don't," Rick stood up, quickly zipping up his cut-offs before they fell down, "You're not ready and you were right. Now's not the time."

Leah nodded, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip, quickly releasing it when Rick groaned, "You're killing me Leah."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Rick tugged at the back of his neck, taking a deep breath through his nose, "You're just naturally sexy," looking into her eyes, he shifted his weight, "There's uh…something I want to ask you."

"Okay," Leah shifted a drowsy Gabe onto her hip, kissing the top of his head as it settled onto her shoulder.

"There's no moon tomorrow night."

"Okay," Leah stared at him, a bit confused about his statement.

"I phase with the moon…and since there's no moon tomorrow night, I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with me…maybe even go dancing," Rick shrugged, placing his hands on his hips as he waited for her answer.

"You don't phase tomorrow night," Leah turned towards him, rubbing her hand over Gabe's warm back, "How often does that happen?"

"Usually a day or two after the full moon," Rick kept his eyes on hers, wanting to touch her again, aching to taste her, to surround himself with her.

"Oh," Leah took a deep breath, blushing when Rick's eyes automatically moved over her rising breasts, "I didn't know you dance."

"If you say yes, you can find out whether I do or not," Rick gave her a smile, his body tense as he waited for an answer.

Leah stared at him, knowing that there was more to the date than dinner and dancing.

He wanted to continue where they had left off and, dear God, so did she. Was she ready for that?

To give herself to him again, yet this time, with so much more involved?

Was she ready for this next step, to search and find her heart and soul in him and in their need and desire for each other?

Or would she lose herself once more if she gave in?


	49. Chapter 48

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I just finished this chapter sometime this morning around 4 AM. I must say, it's one of my faves when it involves Sam/Leah and Leah/Emily interactions. Hope ya'll enjoy the three chapter update as my apology for taking so long to update. Don't forget to review! The reviews is what keep me going!**

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

"I'd recognize those legs anywhere."

Leah stopped, watching as Sam pulled himself out from under a blue car and standing up as he pulled a rag from the back pocket of his greasy jeans.

"Should you be able to recognize my legs," Leah crossed her arms, giving Sam a teasing smile.

"They're identical to Emily's," Sam grinned, stuffing the rag back into his back pocket, "I've never checked out your mom's legs but I'm assuming it's a Young trait."

Leah chuckled, watching as Sam moved around the car towards the open hood.

"What's up Lee?" Sam looked over at her from under the hood before reaching in to tinker with what Leah thought might be the fan belt.

"I'm on my lunch break," Leah shifted her weight, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth, "Thought I'd come and see how you're doing."

"Yeah right," Sam looked up from releasing the fan belt, "Something's bugging you."

Leah leaned forward onto the ball of her feet, balancing a couple of times before leaning back.

"Oh, come on Leah," Sam leaned against the bumper of the car, "Spit it out."

"Rick asked me out on a date for tonight."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Is he planning on taking you out for a drink by the river?"

Leah watched as Sam chuckle at his own joke, "No. There's no moon tonight so he wants to take me out for dinner and dancing."

"Dancing," Sam stared at her, his eyebrows lowering in a vee, "I didn't know you liked to dance."

"I do," Leah bit her lip, trying not to laugh at Sam's affronted look.

"You didn't let me take you dancing," Sam frowned as he watched Leah trying not to laugh.

"I gave in and agreed to go to my prom, remember? Not my fault you were running around on four legs."

"My loss," Sam shrugged as he turned back to the engine, quickly turning to look at Leah, "Hold on. How's he taking you to dinner and dancing at night?"

"There's no moon tonight," Leah rolled her eyes at him, "Duh."

"He doesn't phase when there's no moon?" Sam cocked his head to the side, "Uh. Interesting. Did you know that?"

"Of course," Leah wrinkled her nose at him, "No I didn't. He just told me yesterday."

Sam nodded, drumming his fingers against the side of the car, "So what? You wanted to ask me what you should wear?"

"No," Leah ran her fingers through her hair, "Something more personal."

"Oh God," Sam rubbed his hand against his navy blue t-shirt, "Please don't ask me about sex."

Leah chuckled, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, "No worries there. No, what I wanted to ask was…when you imprint…how do you keep from losing yourself?"

"Ah," Sam stepped around the car to lean against its side, crossing his arms and ankles as he looked at Leah, "You have to stop fighting the imprinting."

"What do you mean?"

"As long as you keep fighting the imprinting, all you'll be able to do is become what he wants thus losing yourself. You see, what he wants will always change. One day he may want you to be a friend, the next day a lover, the day after that he may want you on the other side of the world."

Leah nodded, watching as Sam shifted his weight before continuing.

"But if you stop fighting the imprinting, you'll be able to become what he needs and in the process, you'll find yourself. Because what he needs will never change and it will always come down to you. That's when he'll finally understand that the only place his soul can really be at peace is within your soul," Sam looked down at his dirty sneakers, a small smile on his face, "'When my soul moves into the very center of yours, never to turn away again.' That's how Emily likes to explain it."

Leah reached up to wipe away a tear, a sigh escaping her, "That's...beautiful."

"It's an Apache saying," Sam pushed away from the car, "But it pretty much sums up what imprinting should be like."

"It scares me," Leah shrugged, gnawing on her bottom lip, "To be that open. What if he pushes me away? I don't think I could survive that."

"Lee," Sam gave her a tender smile, "If you open yourself to him, lay it all out, he won't turn away. He won't be able to. His soul will recognize you as his resting place."

"He's already rejected me," Leah slid her hands into the pockets of her jeans, "He chose his memories over me. So why wouldn't he be able to do it again?"

"Because you've been fighting the imprinting from the moment it happened. Think back on it and tell me if it's not true."

Leah stared at him as she flashed back from the moment she first locked eyes with Rick, realizing Sam spoke the truth.

She fought it from the beginning because she had not been sure if the wolf she'd imprinted on was a who and not a what.

Afterwards, he had moved so fast, she hadn't had time to embrace the gift of imprinting and instead, she had struggled to survive the physical train wreck that had been her affair with Rick.

Even now, despite their conversations, his slow revelations of his past, her apprehensive acceptance of his role as Gabe's father, their slow but definite reintroduction to their physical desire for each other –even with all that she still held herself back.

All for fear of getting hurt.

"In the end," Sam kept his eyes on her face, watching the heartbreaking play of emotions, "Your attempt at keeping yourself from being hurt is going to hurt you even worse."

* * *

Leah stood in front of her closet, unsure of what to wear.

After all, the dressiest she'd ever been when with Rick were the white jeans and yellow halter top from the day he took her to the ice cream shop.

As for the sexiest outfit…she wondered if forest ground and tree leave patterns caused by the early morning sun counted.

"Can I come in?"

Turning, she watched Emily walk in, closing the bedroom door behind her.

"Sure. Where are the kids?"

"Downstairs with Aunt Sue," Emily moved across the room to stand next to Leah in front of the open closet, "Gabe is so excited about tonight's sleepover."

Leah chuckled as she turned back to the dilemma that was her outfit decision, "Thanks for agreeing to keep him. Mom already had a date with Charlie and I refused to let her cancel even though she insisted he would be okay with it."

"Think he's going to pop the question tonight?"

"I don't know," Leah pushed her fingers through her hair, "I have no idea what to wear tonight."

"Its dinner and dancing, right," Emily moved into the closet, flipping through the clothes hanging on the rod, "Dear God, you have a department store's worth of clothes in here."

"Alice's doing. You should see the amount of maternity clothes packed away that I never got to use."

"How about this one," Emily pulled out a deep red strapless dress that would mold Leah's body from breast to a little above the knee, "This red would look great against your skin."

"Yeah no. I don't want to look that desperate."

"Desperate," Emily gave her cousin a confused look.

"That dress pretty much screams 'Take me, right here, right now.'"

Emily laughed as she turned back towards the closet, hanging the red dress before continuing her search, "Oh! What about this one?"

Leah looked over the black dress Emily held in front of her, noticing the low cut of the bodice, the ankle length skirt that would cling to her hips then fall in a straight line, her eyes moving up the front slit on the skirt she was sure would hit the top of her left thigh, "No."

"Why," Emily looked down at the dress, her hand smoothing the black satin-like fabric, "What's wrong with it?"

"The statement the dress makes."

"What statement," Emily exclaimed in exasperation.

"It pretty much says 'As soon as I get you alone, I'm going to jump your bones.'"

"And you think he'll mind," Emily laughed with Leah as she turned to place the dress back in the closet, "How the hell did Sam ever get into your pants?"

Leah laughed as Emily continued to flip through dozens of options, "He dated me for two years."

"Okay," Emily turned around, holding a turquoise halter top dress of silk, the flared skirt ending a couple of inches below the knee, "How about this one? There's no way you can have a problem with this one."

Leah looked it over, admiring the empire waist below the bust line, the gathered fabric that would disguise the fact that "I can't wear a bra with it."

"Oh please, it's not as if you've been a diligent bra wearer all your life."

"I'm not as small as I used to be."

"You're barely a C-cup Lee," Emily hung the dress on a hook attached to the inside of the open closet door, "Besides, the style of the dress will easily give you the support you don't need. I say we go with this one."

"Okay," Leah backed away from the closet, sitting on the side of the bed, "I'll wear that one."

Emily stared at her cousin for a few seconds before joining her, placing an arm around her slumped shoulders, "What's bugging you Lee?"

Leah stared at her hands, picking at a cuticle.

"Yesterday morning," Leah's voice was slow and she wouldn't look at Emily, her face flushing slightly, "We almost…"

"Had sex," Emily smiled at her cousin's profile.

"Yes," Leah let out a heavy sigh, "And I know he's going to want to finish what we started tonight."

"And you don't want to."

"Oh, I want to," Leah tucked a hank of hair behind her ear, "I want to so bad but…"

Emily waited, the silence growing heavy before she finally spoke up, "But what?"

"Emily, before…when we used to…" Leah bit at her thumb nail, giving Emily a smile when she pulled her hand away from her mouth.

"Don't bite them," Emily smiled at her, holding her hand in hers, "Your hands need to look nice for tonight."

Leah smiled at her, "I suppose so."

"Anyway, you were saying…"

"When we used to…" Leah bit her bottom lip, turning her head to look out the window, "It's not like I didn't get anything out of it. The fact that he wanted me so bad, all the time, made it so…but there wasn't much foreplay involved. I mean…I shouldn't be making excuses and just say it out loud…Rick was a selfish asshole when it came to sex…at least with me."

"And you're afraid he's still that way," Emily let go of her hand, wrapping her arms around her in a hug, "But Leah, don't you see? If he isn't like that anymore, if he's actually able to think of you and what you need and what he can give you…then he's…invested in you…"

"But if he doesn't…if he thinks that I'm okay with him just thinking about himself…" Leah shook her head, rubbing her fingers against her forehead, "Ugh, I'm giving myself a headache worrying about this."

"Look," Emily stood up, brushing Leah's hair away from her face, "If he's still a selfish asshole, you can stop him before it goes too far. I'm sure he won't force you to do anything you don't want. He's not that much of an asshole."

Leah bit her lip, trying to force the sudden memory of their first full moon out of her mind, "No, he's not."

"Okay, then let's finish picking out your outfit," Emily impulsively kissed Leah's forehead before turning back to the closet, "What's your shoe selection like?"

Leah pointed at the shelf above the closet rod.

"Holy shit."

"I know," Leah chuckled as she stood up, "A shoe store department's worth. Alice does like to shop."

* * *

Rick took a deep breath, not sure why he felt nervous about this date.

Granted, he had never taken Leah on an actual date, one that involved knocking on her door and having to endure the stares of her over-protective brother and slightly terrifying mother.

But come on…this was Leah, the mother of his son, the girl that he'd been intimate with for four months…

The girl he'd hurt in so many ways by simply thinking of himself and his own needs instead of hers.

It had been a hard lesson to swallow as he'd gotten ready for this date, thinking back on their brief affair before he'd asked her to leave, realizing, once again, that he'd treated her unfairly.

This time around, though, he swore to himself he was going to make it up to her. Tonight was his chance to show her that he was serious about a relationship with her, that he wanted to make her happy, to become a part of her life.

This time, he was going to show her that he could think of someone other than himself.

* * *

Seth tried not to laugh at the look on Rick's face.

"Come on in Rick," stepping aside, he watched Rick glance towards his mother, who was walking out of the kitchen with Gabe in her arms, Bradley and Bailey following after her, "Mom, is Leah ready?"

"I don't know," Sue placed her wriggling grandson on the floor, watching as he and the twins headed straight to the toys scattered in the living room, "Emily's still up there so I assume no."

"Take a seat Rick," Seth gestured towards the couch, wondering what to do next. If his father had been there, he would have gone straight for the kill…but, well, considering that his nephew was zoom-zooming around his legs, that wouldn't work well in this case, "I could go and see how long it would take for her to get ready."

"No, that's alright," Rick shook his head, smiling at Seth before turning to look at his son running in circles around Seth with a plastic airplane in his hands, "How long has he been fascinated with flying?"

"Sheesh," Seth looked down at Gabe, grabbing him mid-run before tossing him lightly up in the air, catching the laughing boy in his arms, "Since the first time I tossed him up in the air. I think he must have been eight –nine months old."

"He was ten months old," Sue picked up a crying Bailey, whose brother had pushed away from the blocks he was playing with, "You scared the hell out of me. I remember because all Leah, Gabe and you could do was laugh while I thought my heart wasn't ever going to start again."

"Rick, you're here," Emily rushed down the stairs, her face glowing with a big grin as she took Bailey from Sue, "Leah will be down in just a few seconds."

Standing up, he slid his hands into the pockets of his black slacks, wondering how much longer he had to wait out the uncomfortable situation of being stared at…

A slight noise from the staircase warned him that Leah had finally joined them. Looking up from Gabriel, who was hanging on to his uncle's neck, Rick sucked in a breath as Leah turned on the staircase landing, pausing as she smiled at him shyly.

He couldn't help openly admiring the exotic vision before him. The silver strappy high heels she was wearing showcased those long legs of hers to perfection, making him think horribly inappropriate thoughts considering the mixed company.

Shifting his weight uncomfortably, he noticed how the turquoise color of the dress made her cinnamon colored skin glow. Not only that, but the fabric moved over her body in a teasing way that made him wonder what it would be like to slowly take it off her.

"Dude," Seth shook his head, trying not to laugh at the stunned look on Rick's face, "Can you be more obvious about lusting after my sister?"

"Seth!"

"What Mom? He's practically drooling all over the floor."

"Okay," Emily quickly hugged Sue before turning to smile at Rick, "The kids and I are taking off. Seth, Sam told me to tell you that you need to walk us to the house."

"He said no such thing," Seth shook his head, yelping when Emily reached out to pinch him as she walked by, Bradley following after her.

"Walk us," Emily turned to Leah, giving her a big grin, "You two have fun. And Lee…you look beautiful."

"Thank you," Leah smiled back at her, swallowing the lump in her throat, "For everything."

"No problem," Emily bent down to scoop Bradley into her other arm, "That's what cousins are for."

All three stood where they were; none of them knew how to break the silence until a knock on the door did it for them.

"That must be Charlie," Sue smoothed a hand over her black skirt nervously as she looked over at her daughter; "You two…have fun. I'll see you…when you get here."

Sue moved across the living room, giving a nod at Rick before opening the door to walk out.

"Mom," Leah moved away from the staircase, reaching out to take her mother's hand, "You look beautiful."

Sue reached out and hugged her daughter, closing her eyes as she remembered the last time she had entrusted her daughter to another man, praying this time around it would be better for her, "You too, darling. Be careful out there, okay?"

"I will," Leah smiled down at her mother, "You too Mama."

"Oh please," Sue smiled at her before looking at Charlie, who had stood on the porch quietly waiting for her, "I'm going on a date with the sheriff. What could possibly happen to me?"

Leah laughed, holding the door open as Sue walked out, watching Charlie wrap an arm around her waist as they walked towards his car.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around, letting a gasp to find Rick standing right beside her.

"Are you ready _moli mou_," Rick looked down at her, his eyes moving over her face, noticing the sharp cheekbones, the slanted corners of her big eyes, the winged brows dark and gracefully arched over her eyes, her straight nose slightly tipped at the end, her full lips glistening with what he assumed was some sort of lip gloss.

Nodding, Leah took her black leather jacket from the hook beside the front door, trying not to groan at the sensations that rocked through her body when he placed his hand between her shoulder blades, his calloused fingers erotically rough against the softness of her bare skin.

Closing the door behind them, Rick led her towards the car, doing his best to keep his rampaging thoughts under control.

Tonight was about her and he was going to prove it.

To himself as well as her.


	50. Chapter 49

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Yes, I know, the chapter is insanely short, but that is to counteract the fact that the next chapter is insanely long. Forewarning: Make sure you have the time before you start reading Ch. 50, which I will soon update after this one. Remember...REVIEW!**

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

"Thank you for dinner," Leah smiled up at Rick, enjoying the feel of his hand in hers, their fingers laced together, "But how did you know Italian was my favorite?"

Rick smiled down at her, "I guessed."

"Come on," Leah nudged him with her elbow, laughing when he rubbed his side with a fake grimace of pain, "How'd you know?"

"I asked your cousin Emily," Rick dropped her hand, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and tugging her closer.

"You asked my cousin what my favorite food was," Leah looked up at him, feeling shy as she slid her arm around his waist.

"I wanted this night to be special for you," Rick kissed the tip of her nose, smiling into her sparkling brown-green eyes as he pulled the car keys out of the pocket of his jacket.

"It was."

"It's not over."

"It's not?"

"Nope," Rick opened the passenger door, keeping Leah's hand in his as she stepped into the car, catching a glimpse of her gorgeous long legs, "I promised you dancing after dinner, remember?"

"Oh," Leah blinked at the dazzling smile Rick gave her before he closed her door, watching him walk around the front of the car to the driver's side.

"Now, you have two options," Rick climbed into the car, firmly shutting the door before putting on his seatbelt.

"Which are," Leah buckled her seatbelt as he started the car.

"Option one," Rick turned to smile at her, "There's a club a couple of streets down from here that plays jazz."

"How do you know that?"

"Your brother."

"My brother?"

"Yeah," Rick chuckled at the look of disbelief on Leah's face, "He goes on quite a few dates, _hara mou_. He is nineteen after all."

"How is it that I don't know this?"

"Do you want to talk about your brother and his very active social life or do you want to hear option two?"

"What's option two," Leah was glad the interior of the car was dark and he couldn't see her blush because she already knew what option two entailed.

"Option two," Rick took her hand, slowly interlocking their fingers, "We can go to my place, put on a CD –I've got a good selection –light some candles, and you can kick off your shoes which I'm sure are hurting like hell right now."

Leah laughed as she wiggled her aching toes. He was right –the sexy three inch strappy sandals were slowly and cruelly killing her feet, "And then what?"

"And then we dance," Rick raised her hand and kissed the back of it, keeping his eyes on her face, "Anything after that is up to you."

Leah kept her eyes on his face, searching for anything, any sign, any warning that she shouldn't go through with it.

Sam's advice came to her, his words echoing in her mind.

"_Stop fighting the imprinting…your attempt at keeping yourself from getting hurt is going to hurt you even more…"_

"Let's do option two," Leah whispered, smiling as he leaned in to kiss her, "These shoes are killing me."


	51. Chapter 50

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Alright everyone! Here it is. This was, by far, my favorite chapter to write. As I stated in the last chapter, it is a long one, so make sure you have the time to devote. Also, this chapter is intimately graphic so for those who aren't all that comfortable about that, you can skim. Warning though if you do skim...you might miss important stuff. Hope you enjoy! Please review! Oh, yeah. I will include the list of songs used in this chapter on my AN entry once the story ends, along with the to songs that inspired this story...don't worry. It's not done yet!**

**Chapter Fifty**

Leah sighed as she sat down on the soft brown leather couch, watching quietly as Rick placed an unmarked CD into the stereo system.

Reaching down to undo her silver sandals, she straightened up as he moved towards her, kneeling in front of her, "Let me do that."

Rick deftly undid the tiny silver buckle, gently pulling off the shoe, holding her bare foot in his large hands, his thumbs slowly rubbing the arch of her aching foot.

Leah bit her lip as he massaged her toes, her heel, the top of her foot before placing it on the floor and reaching for the other one, repeating the entire process.

"Better?"

She nodded as he stood up, watching him remove his shoes.

"There. Now it won't hurt if I step on your toes," holding out his hand, he smiled down at her, "Dance with me?"

Leah smiled at him as she placed a shaking hand in his, moving into his arms as he pulled her towards the middle of the living room, his right arm sliding around her back as he kept her hand in his.

_Some say love/ It is a river/ That it drowns/ A tender reed/ And some say love/ It's like a razor/ And that it leaves/ Your soul to bleed/ Some say love/ It is a hunger/ An endless aching need/ I say love/ It is a flower/ And you/ It's only seed/ It's the heart/ Afraid of breaking/ That never learns to dance/ It's the dream/ Afraid of waking/ That never takes the chance…_

"This is a beautiful song," Leah whispered, her breath moving across his neck, making him want to groan at the sheer sensation caused by such a simple act.

"Conway Twitty," Rick pulled her closer to him, his hand moving up to rest against the bare skin of her shoulder blades, "Big fan."

"You like country music?"

"I like all kinds of music," Rick rubbed his jaw against the top of her head, "It's been a hobby of mine for a long time, discovering new music. This particular CD I burned earlier today with songs I thought you might like."

"You burned this CD earlier today," Leah pulled back to look into his face, "You were that certain I'd chose option two?"

"No," Rick kissed her nose, resting his forehead against hers, "I burned the CD with the hope you'd chose option two. If you hadn't, I would have given it to you tomorrow."

"Oh," Leah didn't know what to say so she placed her head against his chest, simply moving with him as the next song began.

_A hundred days have made me older/ Since the last time that I saw your pretty face/ A thousand lies had made me colder/ And I don't think I can look at this the same/ All the miles that separate/ Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face/ I'm here without you baby/ But just alone with my lonely mind/ I think about you baby/ And I dream about you all the time/ I'm here without you baby/ And you're still with me in my dreams/ And tonight/ It's only you and me…_

Leah breathed in Rick's warm earthy scent, feeling sensually dizzy as he slowly moved her around the floor.

Without thought, she pressed her lips against his throat, feeling his pulse speed up, relishing the knowledge that she could affect him that way.

Rick tightened his arms around her before pulling back to look down into her eyes, seeing the desire she felt written on her flushed face.

Brushing his lips against hers, he released her hand to wrap both arms around her.

Nipping at her bottom lip, he looked deep into her eyes, feeling shaken to the core at what he saw there.

It beckoned for his soul to come forth and rest in hers.

It scared him so badly he had to close his eyes, taking a deep breath that left him in a rush when he felt her lips brush across his jaw before moving over his.

"I need you," Leah whispered, touching his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue.

Rick groaned, crushing her tighter against his body, moving his hands to her hips and pulling her hard against him to show her what she did to him.

"I want you, _pedhaki mou_," he whispered into her ear before bending slightly, sliding an arm behind her knees before straightening up with her in his arms, moving purposefully down the hall towards the back bedroom he hardly used.

_I want to wrap the moon around us/ Lay beside you skin on skin/ Making love 'til the sun comes up/ 'Til the sun goes down again/ So I need you/ Like a needle needs a vein/ Like my uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs the rain/ I need you/ Like a lighthouse on the coast/ Like the Father and the Son need the Holy Ghost/ I need you… _

Leah was trying to remember how to breathe as Rick let go of her legs, letting her stand, the bed stretching out behind her, its presence making her breath hitch as she watched Rick watching her.

Reaching out, he moved his fingers over her jaw and into her hair, cupping the back of her neck as he stepped closer to her, his breath hot across her mouth.

"Please forgive me," he whispered, his lips moving over hers, setting off wave upon wave of tingling nerves.

"For what," she lifted her hands and placed them against his chest, her fingers spread open against the warm cotton of his buttoned up shirt.

"For treating you anything less than who you are," Rick brushed his lips over hers again before moving them to her jaw, "You're so beautiful…" he kissed the edge of her jaw before moving up, "…Intelligent…" kissing her cheekbone, he continued his exploration of her face, "…Compassionate…" kissed her closed eyelids, "…Loyal…" her arched eyebrows next "…Giving…" the bridge of her nose, "…and so passionate…" the tip of her nose, "I was an idiot not to have seen all that the first time around."

He covered her mouth with his, diving in as her lips bloomed open for him, a groan deep in his chest as her honeyed sweetness flooded his taste buds.

Moving his hand over the back of her neck, he deftly undid the knot, moving his hand down her bare back to the short zipper, pulling it down.

Leah gasped as the silk brushed over her skin, fluttering down to lay in a turquoise puddle at her feet.

Trying not to feel self-conscious as he stepped back, she stood still, feeling his eyes move over her body, shivering as he reached out and touched her hip, his fingers moving slowly over the white lace of her boy-cut panties.

There was something different about the way he looked at her…the way he touched her…

Leah tried to breath as a startling, and distressing, thought invaded the sensual haze that had overtaken her mind.

Was she, Leah, the one Rick was seeing?

Or was he, once again, using her? But this time as a substitute for the one he loved instead of an antidote for the loneliness he carried with him all the time?

_Another night gone and don't know where it went/ What I need more than anything right now/ __Is time with you/ More time with you/ To laugh and talk and play and make more love to you/ Oh, there's nothing in this world I'd rather do/ Than spent time with you/ Seven days you and me in paradise/ The world revolving around us/ We'd still be there and forever if the choice is mine/ Seven days, that's not enough…_

"You, Leah _mou_," Rick moved closer, looking deep into her eyes, once again seeing that beckoning light that called out to his soul, "I see nothing –no one –but you."

Lowering his head, he slowly devoured her mouth, his hands moving slowly over her body, using his fingertips to memorize every curve…every dip…every line…

"Only you, _agape mou_," he whispered into her ear as he lifted her up onto the bed until she was kneeling at the edge, his mouth moving down her neck, his hands molding her hips before moving to cup her lace covered derrière, "I see…" he looked deep into her eyes, "…Taste…" his tongue slid over her bottom lip, "…Feel…" he moved his hands to her hips, slowly tugging her panties down, "You."

Leah closed her eyes, her breath coming in short pants as she struggled with the wildfire that was her body.

She couldn't think anymore. She didn't want to think anymore.

All she wanted to do was feel…

To feel his hands on her, his warm skin against her own, his mouth on hers…

She wanted to feel him, wrap herself around him and never let go.

_Dancin' on the edge of love/ You're a beautiful sight/ So why are you still standing there/ In the half moon light/ Come on baby, give me a little more you/ Come on baby, give me a little more you/ You're batting those baby blues and honey I swear/ The way you've got me needing you, girl, it just ain't fair/ You've given me a little bit, yeah, but don't stop there/ Come on baby, give me a little more you…_

Rick watched, entranced, as Leah slowly came apart in his arms.

It was, indeed, the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen…his Leah reaching for the stars.

Moving his hand over her breast, he heard her gasp, whispering his name as her fingers tugged frantically at his shirt.

"Please…Rick…" she kissed him, her skin hot against his as she shifted restlessly against his wandering hands, "Please…I need you…now."

Quickly divesting himself of his clothing, he slowly lowered her to the bed, staying beside her as his hands continued to explore, his fingers moving from one peaked nipple to the other.

"Please…" Leah's breath came out in short gasps as she tried to pull him on top of her, "Rick."

Moving his hand from her breast down her stomach, he lowered his head, taking a dusky nipple into his mouth as his hand delved deep between her legs.

Tossing her head from side to side, she couldn't hold back the moan as her body arched off the bed, her fingers digging into the mattress as she felt herself splinter, her soul soaring into the sun and the moon and the stars that were his soul.

Slowly coming back to earth, she felt him slide over her, her legs wrapping around him of their own accord as he moved into her.

He didn't give her a chance to catch her breath as he slowly took her back to the very center of his soul, finding himself in the very center of hers.

She was the very air and water and fire and earth that melded together to create his one and only world.

_When you go through life so sure of where you're heading/ And you wind up lost and it's the best thing could of happened/ Cause sometimes when you lose your way it's really just as well/ Because you find yourself/ Yeah, that's when you find yourself/ When you meet the one/ That you've been waiting for/ And she's everything that you want and more/ You look at her and you finally start to live for someone else/ And then you find yourself/ Yeah, that's when you find yourself…_

He loved her.

Despite his fighting it, despite his holding on to memories of long gone loved ones, he still ended up falling for her.

Watching her sleep, he couldn't figure out how the hell it had happened.

It had been there the entire time and he had turned a blind eye…hell, a blind eye. He had turned his back on it…on her.

He had had reasons, made excuses, but now he wished he hadn't done it the way he had.

Kissing her shoulder, he slowly moved away from her, getting out of the bed, quietly moving down the hallway and into the living room, pulling out the silver frame from the desk drawer before moving around the couch, sitting down as he stared at the picture, letting himself, for the first time in four years, remember.

_Rick sighed as he laid back into the sand, enjoying the sun, the breeze and the company._

"_Ricky."_

"_Mhm," he turned his head to the side, smiling at his wife as she shifted on the towel, trying to get comfortable._

"_Promise me," she turned to look at him, resting a hand on her swollen belly, "If anything ever happens to me, you'll fall in love again."_

"_Nothing's going to happen to you, Lena," Rick moved to his side, reaching out to brush his fingers through her golden curls, "I won't let anything happen to you."_

"_Ricky," Ileana took his hand from her hair, holding it as she struggled to sit up, "Promise me you'll fall in love again."_

"_How can I when my heart belongs to you," Rick took her elbow, sitting up with her, making sure she was stable before letting go to take her hands in his._

"_Ricky."_

"_You're going to nag me about this until I promise, aren't you?"_

_Ileana smiled at him, her blue-green eyes sparkling "Yes."_

"_Alright," Rick stroked her cheek, "I promise to love you long after you're gone."_

"_That's not what I asked," Ileana took his hand, pulling it away from her face._

"_Why are you insisting on this," Rick leaned his forehead against hers, their noses brushing, "Nothing's going to happen, Lena. The baby's two months away from being born and you're strong and healthy. Dr. Metakis said there won't be any complications at all."_

"_I know," Ileana cupped his cheek, looking deep into his light blue eyes, "I just think it would be wrong –against nature –if you never loved again."_

"_Alright," Rick blew out a frustrated sigh, "I promise that if you're ever gone, Zeus forbid, I will fall in love with a girl that's as uncomplicated, as sweet, as gentle, as beautiful as you."_

_Ileana chuckled, kissing his mouth before pulling back "Thank you. Although I hope you fall for someone that's my complete opposite. Someone more like your mom."_

"_Oh Zeus no!"_

Rick wasn't surprised at the sudden shift on the couch cushions as Leah climbed over the back, wrapping her arms around his chest and her legs around his waist, her breasts pressed against his back and her chin resting on his shoulder.

He stayed still, the frame steady in his hands as she reached towards it, her long slim fingers moving over the glass in what Rick could only describe as a reverent caress.

"They're beautiful," she whispered, her breath hot and silky against his neck.

He nodded, moving his hand over hers, "He was two when I took this picture. I had to do it like thirty times because he wouldn't stay still. Lyandros was somewhere behind me, making faces and Nic, of course, couldn't keep from reciprocating."

Leah chuckled softly, brushing her lips slightly against his shoulder, "Did you not want more children?"

"We did," Rick leaned back into Leah, resting his head against her shoulder, "But for some unknown reason, we couldn't conceive again. I was twenty-seven when Nic was born. It took us two years to conceive him. Afterwards, no matter how many times we tried, nothing happened."

Leah sucked in a breath, her body tensing up at the sudden realization "We didn't use any protection tonight."

Rick chuckled, turning his head to kiss her jaw, "Don't worry. I can't get you pregnant."

"I have a one year old son that begs to differ."

"Yeah, a one year old son that was conceived on the very first night we met."

Leah drew in a deep breath, the memory of that first night flooding her mind.

Rick reached up and curved his hand around her jaw, brushing his thumb over her swollen bottom lip, "For all intent and purposes, the wolf pretty much raped you that night. There's really no excuse except that when we recognize our wolf-mate, we claim them as soon as possible. I wish I could change that night for you. When it's done right, it's truly a beautiful ritual -the claiming of the one and only true mate."

Leah couldn't look at him so she kept her eyes on the frame they still held together, "What did you mean that you couldn't get me pregnant?"

Rick sighed, resting his forehead against the side of her neck, "My kind can only procreate during the full moon…some genetic abnormality to ensure the furthering of our species. So, Gabriel is my son, but in a way, the wolf has more claim on him that I do."

"Not if you stop thinking of yourself as two separate entities," Leah kissed the top of his head, brushing her free hand across his chest.

"Not possible," Rick kissed the soft spot behind her ear, "Did you know that the wolf isn't even aware that you're a shape-shifter? He thinks you're just like him; a true wolf in every sense-except for the abnormal size. And if you were, the night you met him wouldn't be such a horrific memory for you."

"Would you stop with that already," Leah took the picture and placed it gently on the small table beside the couch, "Do you honestly think that if I hadn't, to some extent, understood what was going on, I would have let it happen?"

"Are you saying you could have kept the wolf from physically claiming you as his mate?"

"If I had wanted to, yes," Leah wrapped both arms around his chest, smiling when he crossed his arms over hers, "I'm not a pansy ass shape-shifter. I've taken down my fair share of vampires. I've won several wrestling matches against my pack brothers, including Paul. And now that Jacob's no longer part of the pack, I am the fastest."

Rick grinned at her, wrapping his hands around her thighs as he pushed himself off the couch, chuckling when Leah yelped in surprise, quickly wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"You've won a wrestling match against Paul?"

"Five times."

"You're keeping count?"

"Hey! A girl's gotta hold on to something like that against an egotistical arrogant jerk like Paul," Leah pressed her cheek against Rick's as he walked into the bedroom up to the foot of the bed before turning his back on it, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just curious to see if you can beat me in a wrestling match."

Leah let out a yell as Rick fell backwards onto the bed, his hard body pressing hers down into the mattress for a few seconds before he turned around, laughing as he looked down at her.

Leah smiled up at him before she quickly wrapped an arm around his neck, using her legs and hips to flip him onto his back, quickly straddling him and capturing his wrists in her hands, stretching his arms over his head as she grinned down at him.

"You're not good for my ego," Rick lifted his head to kiss her nose, "You know that, right?"

Leah opened her mouth to respond but instead let out a yelp of surprise as Rick quickly wrapped his legs around her waist in some contortionist move, using his abdominal muscles to push himself off the bed into a sitting position, grinning at Leah, who was now trapped under his legs, his thighs making it impossible to wiggle out of his hold.

"How the hell did you do that?"

"First degree black belt," Rick twisted his wrists counter-clockwise, breaking out of her hold while at the same time capturing her wrists in his hands, "Or did your brother not tell you?"

"He might have mentioned it."

Rick kept his eyes on her face, watching her eyes dilate as she slowly realized he was done playing, "I say we call the wrestling match a draw."

"A draw," Leah cocked an eyebrow, unable to control the shiver that made its way down her back, "You won. I have no idea how to get out of this."

"I'll teach you some other time," Rick stretched his legs on either side of Leah, pulling at her wrists to sit her up before crossing his legs Indian style under her derrière, "But right now, I've got something else in mind."

Leah couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as he placed her arms behind her back, taking her right hand and wrapping her fingers around her left wrist.

"Don't let go," he whispered against her neck before moving his lips to the soft spot behind her ear he had discovered earlier.

Sliding his hands down her ribcage, he used his fingers to slowly explore her spine, his thumbs to count each rib before they reached her waist.

Moving his mouth down her throat, he gently nipped the tendon connecting her neck to her shoulder, sliding his tongue over the spot as if to soothe it before continuing a slow journey down her chest towards her breast.

Nibbling around her peaked nipple, he smiled against her hot sweet tasting skin as she arched her back, her head falling back.

Drawing the nipple into his mouth, he sucked, moving his hand to her center, finding her hot and ready for him.

Gripping her waist in his large hands, he lifted her up and onto him, sliding into her slowly, once again finding his way home.

Pulling her head down, he kissed her, slowly ravishing her mouth as he guided her movements with his hands, letting his soul, once again, soar into hers, both of them rushing towards the freedom of being with each other.

_I've__ got you under my skin/ I've got you deep in the heart of me/ You're so deep in my heart that you're really a part of me/ And I've got you under my skin… _

Rick tightened his arms around Leah, pulling her closer, her back to his front.

He wished he could figure out a way to bury her under his skin and keep her there.

"What was your mother like," Leah asked softly, drawing patterns on his arm, which he had across her waist, the other one under her head.

"My mother," Rick chuckled as he pulled Leah closer even though there was no more space between them, "She was something else. If women were able to be Alphas, she would have been the best ever. Father used to call her the thorn on his side."

Leah laughed softly, enjoying the pain free tone to his reminiscing.

"It's said that behind every strong leader is an even stronger woman and that was true when it came to my parents. No one in the pack knew this but when dad became Alpha –he was twenty-one –mom was the one that he went to for advice concerning any and all pack issues and concerns. She was never afraid to tell him when he was wrong about something. Whenever he got mad at her, he would remind her to stay in her place. She would always answer, with a smile 'You mean the place from where I tell you what to do?'"

They both laughed, the sound harmonizing as Rick turned Leah onto her back, brushing his fingers over one of her eyebrows as he smiled down at her, "Mother would've liked you. She always told me I needed a girl that wouldn't take any of my crap."

Leah laughed, sucking in a breath when he pressed his mouth against her shoulder, his tongue sliding over her skin.

"Seventeen," he whispered against her skin as he moved on to explore her collarbone.

"Seventeen what," Leah closed her eyes, surprised that her body still had the energy to feel desire slowly burn and spread as he moved his hand over her stomach, his index finger dipping into her bellybutton.

"Freckles," Rick moved his mouth over the hollow at the base of her throat, his tongue flicking out to taste that patch of skin, "Seventeen freckles on your left shoulder."

Leah's giggle turned into a sigh as his mouth moved down the valley between her breasts, his tongue occasionally sliding over the soft skin as his fingers moved over her slightly rounded stomach.

"I have stretch marks," Leah wasn't sure why she sounded apologetic, "From my pregnancy."

Rick pulled back, looking down into her eyes as his fingertips searched and found the faint markings, "You got these carrying my son," he moved down, kissing each mark, his lips hot against the sensitive skin of her stomach "They're beautiful…You're beautiful, _agape mou._"

Leah closed her eyes, sinking into the melting fire of desire as he continued to explore her body, his mouth hot against her sensitized skin, his hands gentle as they slid over the curve of her hips, down the sides of her thighs and to the dip of her knees.

Sliding his hands up her thighs, he gripped her hips and gently turned her unto her stomach, then proceeded to explore new territory.

Leah bit her bottom lip, trying to keep from moaning as he took his time moving down her body, his mouth moving over her shoulder blades…down her spine…her lower back…the crease where her bottom met her thigh…the back of her knee…her calve…the arch of her foot…

She moaned as he moved up the other side, charting the trip with his mouth.

"Did you know the back of your left knee tastes completely different to the back of the right one," his breath was hot against her skin as he moved over her, covering her body with his, sliding a hand under her to raise her hips, moving into her effortlessly, pressing his mouth to the back of her neck before whispering into her ear.

"Come with me Leah _mou._ Let's fly away together."

_I want you to know how I feel/ When I'm holding you in my arms/ And I want you to know how I miss you when we're apart/ But when I look in your eyes/ Something happens to me every time/ And I can't seem to find/ What to say to you/ I only get this way with you…_

"Have you and Emily always been best friends," Rick brushed back her hair, his fingers moving down her flushed cheek.

"Not always," Leah used her index finger to write her name against his chest, right over his heart, "After Sam imprinted on her, it became a bit of a strain. It wasn't after he attacked her and she went after him that I couldn't stand the sight of her."

"Did you miss her," Rick moved his hand to her shoulder, rubbing his thumb against her collarbone.

Leah stared at the pulse on Rick's throat, silently counting each beat as she pondered his question.

"Yes," Leah looked into his eyes, moving closer to kiss his chin, "She was the one I went to when big things happened in my life."

Leah kissed his throat, moving closer as he wrapped his arms around her.

They were lying in the middle of the bed on their sides, facing each other, making it possible for them to touch and explore while they talked.

"When Sam called off the wedding, I knew he had feelings for Emily," Leah brushed her lips against the pulse in his throat, spreading her fingers over his chest as he drew lazy patterns on her hip, "I had no idea about imprinting but after I phased and I was told about it, I knew when it had happened without having to look into Sam's thoughts."

Rick kissed her forehead, sucking in a breath as she pressed an open mouthed kiss against his chest, her index finger flicking his nipple in an absent minded manner that was slowly driving him crazy.

"After I phased, I stopped pretending that I was fine with how things had turned out. I didn't see the point since the others in the pack knew everything I was thinking and feeling."

"How soon after you broke up did Emily and Sam get together," Rick stifled a groan as Leah slid her tongue over his nipple, moving her hand down his flat stomach.

"Three weeks…Emily wouldn't listen to Sam, just ignored him until he told her he had feelings for her. She went off on him, told him he was a jerk thinking that she would want her cousin's ex-fiancé having feelings for her. Sam as having a hard time controlling his emotions and he reached out to stop her when she turned to walk away, not realizing until it was too late that he had phased," Leah moved closer to Rick, sliding a leg over his hip, "Emily was in the hospital for two weeks after that. No one knew where Sam was. After she got out of the hospital, she went looking for him…Sam was pretty much gone –there but not there. Seeing him like that was what broke Emily's anger on my behalf."

Rick buried his face in Leah's neck as she pressed a hand against his shoulder, urging him onto his back.

Sitting up, Leah straddled him as she smiled down at him, moving her hands over his chest and abdominal muscles.

"So how long did the rift between you and Emily last," Rick gripped her thighs, watching with interest as she leaned down to kiss his chest, her mouth moving over his ribcage.

"From that moment until the night Gabe was born," Leah dipped her tongue into his bellybutton, smiling against his hot skin as his stomach muscles contracted, "She's the one that delivered Gabriel. She and Sam are his godparents."

"Sam, your ex-fiancé, is my son's godfather," Rick frowned at her, trying to figure out a diplomatic way of telling her he didn't like that when all thought flew out of his head as Leah covered his mouth with hers, her tongue stroking his in a purely erotic way as her hand moved down his body towards –

"_Theos_!" Rick broke off the kiss, sucking in a deep breath as he looked up into her smiling eyes, "I never took you for a sexually aggressive kind of girl."

"That's because you never wanted me to be," Leah whispered into his ear, nibbling on it as her hand slowly pushed him towards the edge.

"From now on," Rick gritted his teeth as he felt the desire he had for her burning in his very bone marrow, "I want you to be exactly as you are."

Leah laughed softly into his neck as she lifted her hips, guiding him into her before steadying herself against his chest.

Keeping her eyes on his face, she slowly lowered herself onto him.

She enjoyed watching his eyes dilate as he looked into hers, his hands tightening around her thighs as she began to move.

Leaning down, she placed a tiny kiss on the corner of his mouth, his bottom lip, the other corner, then softly tugged at his upper lip, pulling back when he tried to take control of the kiss.

"My turn," she whispered, her breath moving across his lips, the tip of their noses brushing, "To teach you what it's like to fly."

_Anywhere you want to go/ Baby show me the way/ I'm open to suggestions/ Mm, whatever you say/ __Tonight's about giving you what you want/ Whatever it takes/ Girl I hope I'm on the right road/ Judging by the smile on your face… _

"Tell me about your brothers," Leah moved deeper into his arms, wishing she could bury herself deep into his very heart.

"My brothers," Rick chuckled, his breath ruffling the hair resting against her cheek. Reaching up, he brushed it away before tucking her head under his chin, "I was the oldest of ten. Apparently, although mom drove dad crazy, he couldn't get enough of her."

They both chuckled, the shared mirth moving over their tired sated bodies like a balm.

"Who was your favorite?"

"Well, that one's a hard one," Rick placed a hand on Leah's soft stomach, his fingers spreading over her silky skin, "I was closest to Kristos. He was a year younger and Lyandro's father. After him was Xerxes, the very bane of my existence. We had completely opposite personalities and couldn't get along."

"Which meant your clothes went missing more often than not," Leah turned her head to smile up at him, the smile growing bigger when he kissed her nose.

"I kept a spare set hidden away," Rick kissed her nose again, thinking how beautiful she looked, relaxed to the point of completely melting into him, "Then there was Andreus. He was a quiet one, kept to himself. Needless to say, he was Nic's favorite uncle. After him were the twins, Erasmus and Evan. They were so wild, mom liked to call them Hade's minions. After them came Tymek, Tymon and Tyron -the triplets," Rick chuckled at the open mouthed look on Leah's face as she turned to stare at him, "Yeah. Mom swore she was done after those three were born, but a year later, mom gave birth to our one and only sister, Amery. She was two when mom gave birth to Zarek. He was the last one."

"So out of all of those siblings, you didn't have a favorite," Leah closed her eyes as he moved his hand across her stomach to her hip, his fingers flexing into it.

"I did," Rick kissed her shoulder, wondering how in hell he could possibly need her again, "Amery was, of course, everyone's favorite, what with being the only girl. But secretly, my favorite was Zarek. My baby brother would follow me everywhere…always looked up to me."

"Enjoyed the hero worship, did you now," Leah wiggled into him, catching her breath as she felt him against her bottom, his legs moving to bend into hers.

"I was egotistical enough that I indeed enjoyed the hero worship."

"Was," Leah cocked an eyebrow, giving him a cheeky smile.

"Alright! I still am," Rick ran his fingers lightly up her ribcage in retaliation, grinning when she tried to move away, "It's one of the drawbacks of being an Alpha."

"One of them, along with being arrogant, cocky, over-confident, self-absorbed, possessive –"

"Keep it up and I'm going to tickle you until you cry," Rick threatened, his breath blowing hot into her ear.

She laughed as he moved his fingers over her ribcage again, wriggling her body against his, getting the reaction she wanted as he tightened his hands on her waist.

"How is it that I still want you this bad," he whispered against her shoulder, moving his hand over her hip and down her thigh.

"I don't know," Leah kissed his jaw, "But I want you too."

"Good."

_Everything I did was such a bore/ Everywhere I went, you know, I've been there before/ But you light up for me all of my days/ With a love so sweet and in so many ways/ I want to stop and thank you baby/ I just want to stop and thank you baby/ How sweet it is to be loved by you/ How sweet it is to be loved by you…_

"Why did you do this," Rick whispered softly as he moved an index finger up the inside of her forearm, lightly tracing the faint six inch scar.

Leah looked down at her arms, watching as he kissed first one scar, then the other, trying to swallow back a knot of tears stuck in her throat.

"What was supposed to be my wedding day," Leah's voice came out husky and slightly choked, "I got drunk on a fifth of whiskey –apparently, I could have died of alcohol poisoning but that never occurred to me."

"Why did you do it," Rick gently wrapped his fingers around her wrists, pulling her towards him.

"I tore my wedding gown to pieces before I –"

""Leah _mou_," Rick pressed his forehead against hers, looking deep into her eyes, "Why?"

"I told myself because I was depressed. It was supposed to have been_ the_ special day of my life. Instead, I was scorned, alone and betrayed by two people I loved with everything in me. I told myself I wanted an out. It wasn't until I left La Push that I realized the truth."

"Which is," Rick tugged Leah under him, slowly moving his lips over her face.

Leah closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "Revenge."

Rick looked at her, cocking an eyebrow as he moved his hands over her breasts, molding them before moving on.

"I knew that some people would blame Emily and Sam, believing that they're betrayal drove me to take my own life, just like I knew there would be others that would think I was wrong in making such a drastic decision over something I would eventually learn to live with and maybe even get over," Leah moved her legs to either side of his body, her arms sliding down around his back, "But I knew, what I cared about, was that Emily and Sam would always blame themselves. If I had succeeded, they would still be together but they would never have been completely happy. That's what I wanted."

"I'm glad you didn't succeed," Rick kissed her softly, framing her face with his hands, "I'm glad you decided to search for freedom instead of trying again," kissing her again, Rick wrapped his arms around her, looking down into her brown-green eyes, "I thank you because you found me…and I'm glad for that."

He then proceeded to slowly and completely prove to her that he was indeed glad to have been found by her.

_Darling, it seems like the whole world is just turning so fast/ Everything is changing and we're just trying to keep up/ But we've got something special here/ Something worth waiting for/ Yeah, we're right on the edge/ The edge of falling in love/ No rush, no rush/ Ain't this world turning, baby, fast enough/ Slow it on down baby/ To just the two of us…_


	52. Chapter 51

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: I am evil, not letting y'all just bask in the joy of the last chapter, but the story is moving fast towards the end in my head and I have to keep up. Which means I must keep you up as well. So, sorry, but time to move on from the lethargic joy that came with the last chapter and get to real life within this story. Enjoy and review! **

**Oh! Thanks for the reviews from the last two chapters! Less than twenty reviews will have me hit 200 reviews, which is my goal before this story ends. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifty-One**

Leah stretched, wincing at the aching muscles before a pleased smile spread across her face as she turned her head to look at a sleeping Rick beside her. His arm was heavy across her stomach, as well as his leg over her thighs, as if, even in sleep, he wanted to make sure she remained by her side.

Sighing, she looked at the bedside clock, trying to remember what had woken her up.

She was exhausted, pleasantly so, and she felt slightly irritated to be pulled out of much needed sleep and not remember what –

Ah yes. She was hungry.

"No surprise there," she whispered under her breath as she slowly wiggled away from Rick's hold, doing her best not to wake him up, "We did spent most of the night…exercising."

She giggled softly, a low groan escaping as she got up, hobbling towards the bathroom, trying not to cry out at the soreness in her legs.

Finishing her business in the bathroom, she grabbed one of the bath towels Rick had hanging behind the bathroom door and wrapped it around herself, tucking the edge in between her breasts before heading down the hall towards the kitchen, hoping Rick had food in the refrigerator.

Opening the door, she stood there and stared before letting out a heavy sigh.

"No wonder he's so thin," Leah muttered under her breath as she took a red apple and a wedge of gouda cheese, closing the door before turning towards the cabinet, finding crackers on her third try.

Taking a knife from one of the drawers, she sliced the apple and cheese, placing them on a plate along with the crackers.

Filling a glass with water, she took it along with the plate and moved through the living room towards the small terrace outside the glass doors.

Sliding the door open, she walked out, the smooth stones of the terrace cool under her feet.

Placing her snack on a small wrought iron table, she leaned against the terrace rail, looking up at the lightening sky.

The sun was going to come out in a couple of hours, bringing an end to what had been a perfect night.

Leah sighed as she took a cracker, placing a slice of cheese and apple on it before popping it into her mouth.

Munching away, she slowly scanned the surrounding houses, giggling quietly when she recognized Charlie's backyard.

She wondered what this new day would bring. The night had been…unimaginable.

She now understood what Sam had been talking about.

The very melding of their souls had been something beautiful to see and Leah would be eternally grateful that she had been able to experience it.

She loved him…a thousand times more than she had loved Sam.

Not only that but she knew, without a doubt, that he loved her too.

The thing was…she wanted to hear the words.

And he wasn't yet ready for that.

He was still holding back…keeping his most precious memories to himself.

He was still keeping her.

And that's why Leah had held back as well.

She couldn't tell him she loved him…not when he wouldn't tell her about the one he once chose to love.

"I woke up and you were gone," Rick moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her as he rested his chin on her shoulder, "I didn't like it."

"I got hungry," Leah took a cracker, placing cheese and apple on it before turning in his arms to face him, "Want some?"

Munching at the offered snack, Rick watched Leah as she turned her head to the side, her eyes moving over the forest a couple of miles from them.

Swallowing, he leaned in and kissed her throat, smiling at the visible shiver that racked her body, "That was good. Why are you wearing a towel?"

"Unlike you, I'm not comfortable standing naked out in the open," Leah turned to smile at him, "Are you aware you have a direct view of Charlie's backyard? If he walks out and sees you naked, he could arrest you for indecent exposure."

"Good thing you're standing between me and Charlie's eagle eyesight," Rick pulled her in closer, kissing her swollen lips, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've entered and won a triathlon," Leah grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, "And you?"

"Like I've climbed the Alps in a day," Rick rested his forehead against hers, smiling into her eyes, "I am wondering, though…"

"Again?"

Rick chuckled at the look of disbelief on her face, "I don't think I can ever get enough of you…but if you're too sore…"

"I am sore but –" Leah turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she picked up a sweet scent, blinking as it abruptly disappeared...she must have imagined it...

"Leah?"

"Sorry," Leah turned her attention back to Rick, "I thought I smelled something."

"Mhm," Rick nibbled on her neck, "I think I just might have to do something to keep your attention."

"Like what," Leah stroked her hands down his bare back.

"I could…" he whispered his idea into her ear, laughing at the deep blush that suffused her cheeks, "What do you think?"

"I'll give you one chance to convince me of this idea of yours," Leah murmured, laughing when he quickly lifted her into his arms, turning into the house and moving towards the bedroom.

"Good thing I'm a very persuasive person."

"Bad thing I'm not easily persuaded."

Rick placed Leah on the bed, pulling the towel apart and admiring her nude form before giving her a heart stopping grin as he joined her on the bed.

"But that's nothing against my perseverance," Rick kissed her lips, taking her wrists and gently moving her arms over her head, his lips moving over her jaw.

"Not to mention your cockiness," Leah smiled up at him, watching him as he moved his eyes over her face.

Rick grinned at her, "I'll remind you of that when I'm done."

Leah wanted to respond but she couldn't think of an appropriate comeback and eventually she couldn't think at all.

* * *

"You would love Greece, Leah _mou_," Rick slowly stroked her back, "It's beautiful, with a lot of history, warm sandy beaches…"

Leah pushed herself up onto her elbow, keeping her arm across his chest as she looked into his face, "We can't Rick. Gabe needs to be here, be part of a pack. You know as well as I do that it's not good to be alone."

"He wouldn't be alone," Rick brushed his lips against her forehead, "He would be with us…and we can have more kids…"

"Rick," Leah leaned her forehead against his, "If it were just me, I would follow you to the ends of the world. But I can't do that to Gabe. Please don't ask me to take him away from here. He needs my mother, my brother…the entire pack."

Rick stared up into her eyes, knowing if he did ask, she would do it, but he couldn't abuse that power in such a blatant way…not when it involved their son.

Sliding his fingers into her hair, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb, he smiled at her, "Alright. As long as, at some point, we take him for a visit."

Leah rested her head on his chest, snuggling back into his arms with a tired sigh, "This is something for us to talk about later. Don't you think?"

"Yeah," Rick yawned, wrapping his arms around her, "Right now, I guess we could just sleep."

"Yeah."

* * *

Leah groaned as she turned, sliding her hand across the bedside table in search of the incessantly ringing phone.

"It's on my side," Rick mumbled, burying his face into the pillow as Leah crawled over him, almost knocking the cell phone off the table.

"Hello," Leah mumbled into the phone, lying down across Rick, her head resting against his shoulder blade.

"_Leah."_

"Seth?"

"_We have a problem."_

"What," Leah pushed herself up, hand between Rick's shoulder blades, causing him to grunt, "Is Gabriel okay?"

"_Gabe's fine. Look…we're having an emergency pack meeting at Sam and Emily's. You need to get down here...fast."_

"Okay."

"_Leah…bring Rick."_

Leah closed her cell phone, staring at it for a few seconds.

"What's going on?"

Leah pushed herself into a sitting position, "There's an emergency pack meeting and they want us there."

"Both of us," Rick turned to his side, a yawn escaping him as he watched Leah, "I'm not part of the pack."

"They want you there too," Leah placed the phone on the side table, swinging her legs to the floor, "Something's going down. We need to go."

"We need to shower before we go," Rick pushed himself up, leaning over and kissing Leah between her shoulder blades, "With the way you smell right now, your brothers are going to know what we've been doing all night…and most of the morning."

Leah chuckled, tossing back the sheet, "As if they don't already know."

Pushing herself to her feet, Leah instantly collapsed on the floor, her aching legs unable to hold her weight, "Oh God! I can't walk!"

Rick fell back onto the bed, laughing as Leah struggled to get to her feet.

"Will you stop laughing, get down here, and help me? You're partly to blame for this."

Rick moved across the bed and stood up, grabbing onto the side table before he fell on top of Leah, "Apparently, I'm not doing so well either."

They both laughed as they struggled together to move across the bedroom into the bathroom, turning on the shower and getting in, the hot water running over both of them.

Rick leaned against the tiled wall, taking the washcloth and soap then scrubbed Leah's back, smiling tiredly as she took the washcloth, urging him to turn around so she could repeat the favor.

Leaning his forehead against the tile, he wondered how it was possible to start feeling the aching arousal after the night they had shared. He hadn't been fanciful when he'd told her that he couldn't get enough of her.

"Rick," Leah kissed his shoulder, sliding her arms around his waist, "We can't take too long. And I'm too tired and sore."

"It's okay, _agape mou_," Rick turned around, hugging her close to him; "We do need to go."

"I can't let you go like that," Leah kissed his chest, "My brothers would be merciless."

"What do you propose," Rick watched as she slowly moved her mouth across his chest before moving down to his stomach.

The smile she gave him made him groan as his head fell back against the wall.

He definitely couldn't get enough of her.


	53. Chapter 52

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: As always, thanks for the reviews! As some or most of you have guessed, it's about to go down! Enjoy the double update! And remember...review!**

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

Rick tried not to laugh as he helped Leah out of the car, watching her straighten slowly, her face openly exhibiting the discomfort she was feeling.

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly as he kept his eyes on her face, holding her hand tight in his.

"Don't be," Leah smiled up at him, resting her hand against his shoulder, "It's just that…I was out of practice."

"You better had been," Rick brushed his nose against hers before kissing her softly on the mouth, "No worries though. I'll get you back in tip top shape in no time."

Leah chuckled as she tugged at the t-shirt she was wearing before tugging at the drawstring of the basketball shorts she had on, making sure they were snuggly tight.

"I was serious when I offered to swing by your place so you can get some of your own clothes," Rick kissed her cheek, sliding his free arm around her waist, "Not that I mind seeing you in my clothes. I just think your brothers are going to be horrible about you wearing my clothes and I don't want them teasing you."

"We've taken too much time getting here already," Leah smiled into his eyes, seeing the concern in his eyes, "And I can take their teasing. I'm not made out of glass."

"I know that," Rick gently pulled her into his arms, "But I still want to take care of you."

Leah smiled up at him, letting go of his hand to slowly tug his head down, their mouths moving slowly in harmony.

"Are you two coming or what," Seth's voice rang across the front yard, "Dear God, you've spent all night and most of the morning doing that kind of crap…you'd think you'd be sick of each other by now!"

Rick couldn't hold back the laughter this time as Leah pulled back, her face flushed deep red as she moved out of his arms, shutting the car door behind her. He took her hand as they walked up the gravel yard, following Seth into the tiny house.

Rick looked around, quickly noticing the serious atmosphere as Seth moved to stand between Embry and Quil.

The silence was palpable as they all stood there, staring at each other, Rick zeroing in on Sam, who was staring at him with what could only be described as a hostile and suspicious expression.

"What?" Leah asked Collin, who was staring at her in a manner that slightly unnerved her.

Collin frowned as he kept staring at Leah, shifting his weight against the counter he was leaning on.

"What is it," Leah asked again, exasperated at his staring, annoyed that no one else had said anything since they had entered the house.

"Are you wearing a bra?"

The guys all bit their lip, choking back laughter as Leah stared at Collin, her eyes wide with surprise.

Rick, on the other hand, gave Collin a narrow eyed look, "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry," Collin shrugged nonchalantly as he looked around the room with a grin, "Was that a question I wasn't supposed to ask?"

They all laughed, minus Rick who still wasn't amused, breaking the tension that was thick enough to cut through with a knife.

"You're an idiot, Collin," Leah shook her head, a smile on her face as she turned to look at Sam, "What's going on?"

"We've got a problem," Sam shifted his weight, nodding as Leah looked to his left, noticing three new faces.

"So I see," Leah nodded her head towards the three teenage boys, "Who are they?"

"The newest members of the pack," Sam's jaw tightened as he re-crossed his arms, his eyes moving briefly over Rick before turning back to Leah, "They phased last night…all three of them."

Leah sucked in a breath, her hand tightening around Rick's as she looked around at each of her brothers, "There are vampires in the area."

"Lots of them," Paul joined in, moving his shoulders in a way that let them all know he was feeling…cagey, so to speak.

"Jacob called last night," Seth looked towards Sam, "To warn us."

"Warn us," Leah swung her eyes from Sam to Seth, then back again.

"Apparently Alice Cullen saw them coming this way," Sam finally locked eyes with Rick, his face tight with leashed anger.

"But Alice Cullen can't see our future," Leah shook her head, trying to grasp what was being said.

"She can't," Sam nodded towards Rick, "But she can see his. So I was wondering if you can tell us what the fuck is going on."

Leah turned to look at Rick, her hand tightening around his to the point of cutting off his circulation, "They're after you?"

Rick looked down into her eyes, his past, present, future…his whole world, his everything, narrowing down to those two beautiful brown-green eyes.

"I didn't know they were still after me."

Leah stared at him, her heart beating fast as fear overtook her, the very idea of Rick being a target making her shake hard.

"Leah, you need to calm down," Sam pushed away from the wall he was leaning on, moving around the table as Seth moved around the other side, both of them heading towards a blurring Leah.

Rick held out his hand, stopping them both before cupping Leah's face in his hands, "Leah _mou,_ listen to me. You need to breathe. Look at me…I'm right here."

Leah kept her eyes on his, blinking back the panicked tears, taking a gulp of breath as the shaking lessened. Rick wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him as he looked at Sam over her head.

"It's a long and complicated story," Rick rested his cheek against the top of Leah's head before pulling back to look into her eyes, "The morning they attacked my pack, I wasn't there. I was in Athens."

Leah nodded, remembering him telling that part before.

"When I came back…houses were burned down…I could smell death in the air…that night, I phased and I was able to pick up their scent. I followed it all the way to Italy, right up to the closed doors of Voltura. The place reeked of them…I knew they were in there, but I waited until morning came."

Rick kept his eyes on Leah's, watching her watching him, their arms around each other, the rest of the listening pack completely forgotten, "I did some reconnaissance of the place that morning, noticed how those in black and gray cloaks were slightly different from the tourists…that night, I took down my first guard. I destroyed one a night every night for the next month…five of them on the full moon. I had everything ready, everything prepared. After that month, they doubled up, trying to figure out who or what was causing the daily disappearance of their numbers. That didn't stop me."

Rick tightened his arms around Leah as she began to shake again, leaning down to whisper into her ear, "It's alright, _agape mou._ I'm right here. Just hold tight to me. I'm right here."

Once Leah calmed down, Rick continued, "The next month consisted of two kills every night, ten on the full moon. They were frantic but they couldn't figure out what was going on. During the night, they could smell me…trace my scent all around Voltura…but when morning came, the scent ended abruptly. During the day, I'm just as human as everyone else…in other words…I don't have a canine scent…not during the day."

"That explains why they're not on our front door," Sam muttered, leaning his arms against the table, "Can you explain how you ended up in New Hampshire around the same time as the Cullens?"

"On purpose," Rick looked briefly at Sam before returning his gaze to Leah, "I was almost caught one night but I was able to get away…barely. That made me realize that if they succeeded next time around, it would be the end of an entire species…and I would let my father down…my grandfather…lose all that my ancestors have worked hard for through generations."

Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes, "I decided to leave Voltura, but I had to wait until morning, so that they wouldn't be able to trace my scent…unfortunately, I got corralled along with a large group of tourists, all of them being herded towards the castle by a female vampire passing herself off as a tourist guide. I knew if I tried to break away from the group I would call attention to myself, so I went along…"

Tightening his arms around Leah, he waited for her to stop shaking before continuing, "Once inside the castle, I was separated, told that I had been chosen for a private tour of a different part of the castle. I knew they wanted me for something specific but I pretended that I had no idea what was going on, just kept my cool and followed along. Eventually, they proved me right. I got tied up and blind folded. Pushed into a cell that I realized was occupied by someone else due to the taunting words of the vampire behind me."

Pulling back, he stared into her bright eyes, wishing he could make the fear go away, "Jacob told you why he went to Italy, right?"

Leah nodded, flashing back to the time before she first laid eyes on Rick, her eyes widening as he continued, "The one in the cell was Annabelle. After the door was closed, she told me to move to the opposite side of the cell and stay there. I couldn't take my blindfold off and I had no idea what was going on, but I did what she said. Something told me she was dangerous but I couldn't be sure…because I couldn't smell her. But I could hear…she seemed delusional and the sound of metal rubbing on metal eventually made me realize she was chained to the wall. It felt like days had gone by, but I knew it was just hours…then I heard someone call her name."

"The Cullens," Leah kept her eyes on him, a tear escaping as she realized how much more she owed the Cullens…

"Yes," Rick reached up to wipe away her tear, "Annabelle's rescue party. I couldn't see what was going on, but I heard…almost everything. Someone got in through the little window…Annabelle insisted that they get me out first…once outside, I was pushed up against a wall. I stayed there, listening to them pulling out Annabelle, making sure she kept away from Jacob…his name was mentioned…they were about to leave, having made the decision to leave me outside of Voltura…when someone from the guard spoke up."

Rick breathed in deep, "As I said, I couldn't see anything. But I could hear…the fight was vicious…eventually I heard Jacob let out a horrendous scream…I could hear vampires being taken apart…and I had no idea who was winning…who should be winning…eventually, a halt was called. Carlisle's name was spoken…and Carlisle greeted the speaker as Marcus…the guard was ordered away…the Cullens told never to return to Voltura again…"

Leah watched Rick as he closed his eyes, his arms tight around her, his breath coming fast and shallow as he relived those memories, "The silence after that was unbearable…then they all went into action…Jacob was picked up…Annabelle urged to move…they were all leaving when someone, I think Bella, remembered me. I was tossed over a shoulder, taken along with them. Someone, I think Rosalie, made a comment that stuck with me…so much for New Hampshire. They left me by a tree, undid my bonding and told to count to fifty before removing my blindfold. Before they left, Carlisle told me to leave Italy and go as far away as possible. I did. I ended up in New York, stayed there for a year, working at NYU during the morning, drinking myself to a stupor in the middle of the day and phasing at night."

"And then you remembered," Leah whispered, resting her head against his chest, trying to reassure herself that there was still a fighting chance.

"I remembered," Rick looked at Sam, "I applied for a position in Dartmouth, got accepted, then proceeded to search for the Cullens through every avenue possible. I got lucky that the older ones, Emmet, Rosalie and Jasper, started Dartmouth as freshmen that year…the next year, they were followed by the rest of them. I studied them, paying attention to the differences between them and the others. I was especially interested in Jacob…there was something different about him…then came Leah. The rest of the story…well, we all know about that."

"Okay," Sam nodded, tapping his fingers against the wooden table, "We now know who we're going up against. Apparently the Volturi didn't forget about you…how many are we talking about here?"

"That depends…" Rick gave Sam a strange look, "Why would the numbers matter?"

"Well, now that we have three new additions, we are up to eighteen…nineteen with you if it's at night," Sam looked around at his brothers, a slow grin coming to his face as they all nodded in agreement, "Needless to say, we can each take on two, possibly three, so that means we can handle about forty."

"No."

"What," Sam straightened up; turning to look at Rick, he was shocked that someone had disagreed with him.

"You are not going to fight them," Rick shook his head, finally realizing that among Sam's calculations, Leah was included, "They are after me, not you. The farthest they've gotten is Forks…I've never phased within the reservation boundaries…I'll just leave…they'll come after me…this isn't your fight –"

"No."

Rick looked down at Leah, surprised that she had disagreed with him, "What?"

"I won't let you leave…you had a chance to do so several months ago, but not anymore. I need you…with me…and if I have to fight to keep you here, alive, with me, I will. I don't care how many of them I have to fight, I'll do it."

"We all will," Seth crossed his arms, moving to stand next to his sister and Rick, "Leah's part of this pack and you're her imprint. We don't have a choice but to fight anything that threatens your life."

"Enough with that already," Rick exclaimed, pulling away from Leah, gripping her shoulders and giving her a slight shake, "You do have a choice. All of you do…just look the other way…turn your back on this…Leah…our son needs you…he needs all of you…I can't risk you both…not when it's me they want…please…"

"No," Leah framed his face with her hands, "Rick, we're not defenseless…we can phase anytime we want, night or day. We've been taught to fight them by one of them…Jasper once taught us how to take them down…"

"He taught you how to take down seasoned fighters," Rick stared into her eyes, seeing the sudden consternation appear.

"Newborns."

"These aren't newborns, Leah," Rick wrapped his hands around her wrists, pulling her hands away from his face, "They may not be as strong as newborns, but they are centuries more well trained in battle. It's what they do…fight and destroy what they consider a threat. They don't know about you…I don't want them to know. Just let me go."

"No."

"There won't be enough of you," Rick tried to appeal to Sam from a strategic point, "Especially with three new werewolves…their inexperience puts the entire pack at a disadvantage."

Sam opened his mouth only to be interrupted by a ringing phone.

Seth frowned an apology as he took out a cell phone, looking at the screen before answering.

"What's up? Uh uh. Yeah. They're here…he's told us…I see. Alright, I'll let them know."

Seth hung up the phone, a grin spreading across his face.

"What's going on Seth," Sam stared at him, waiting for the news.

"That was Jacob," Seth nodded towards Rick, "Alice just saw the whole confessional thing. Interestingly enough, although she can't see us, she can see him…even when he's surrounded by us. Food for thought."

"Is that what you're supposed to let us know," Paul couldn't stay still…he was ready to get out there and hunt some vampire.

"No," Seth grinned at his brothers, "I'm supposed to let you know that we won't be outnumbered…or outmaneuvered. They'll call us when they get here."

"When who gets here," Rick kept his eyes on Seth, instinctively placing his arms around Leah as she moved closer to him, "The Volturi is already here."

"We know," Seth nodded, pleased at the news he was sharing, "It's the Cullens that are on their way here."

"Sweet," Collin pumped his fist in the air while the rest of the pack grinned, "I like watching the little one fight."

"That would be Alice," Leah turned to look over her shoulder at her brother, "They're coming here to help?"

"Yep."

"Why," Rick couldn't find a way to get around this new plan.

"Jacob," Seth shrugged as if it made sense, which apparently to them it did, "He's part of the pack and he knows we're going to need the help, so he's on his way. And the Cullens are coming because it seems they see him as a part of them, and as we all learned with Bella, they stand together for each other."

"Jacob's coming," Quil and Embry high fived each other, both blatantly excited about the new turn of events.

"Looks like it," Sam had an equally pleased look on his face as he leaned against the sturdy kitchen table.

"Sam," Leah bit her lip, wondering how to start and hoping this new news wouldn't detract their attention from what really mattered, "About Jacob…we need to talk."

It was time for more confessions.


	54. Chapter 53

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: And the story continues to build up! I am all out of sorts because this is quickly coming to an end and I'm not sure I am ready to say good-bye to this alternate world I narrarate (sp?) Anyways, here's the second of the two chapter update. It is gonna get better! Enjoy and review!**

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

Rick wanted to bang his head against something hard.

He wasn't being listened to and that alone was enough to give him a brain aneurysm.

On top of that, he had to listen to the pack as they strategized and planned, trying to figure out how to take the advantage from the get go.

That, in itself, wouldn't upset him so much except it seemed a given to the others in the pack that Leah would join in on the fight.

And that –that he was having a hard time handling.

"Rick, when was the last time you phased," Sam asked from the kitchen, which was directly visible from where he was sitting on the couch with Leah.

"Night after the full moon," Rick shifted as he watched Collin explaining moves and strategies to one of the new pack members, a fifteen year old boy named Dylan.

"So, two nights ago," Sam tapped a pencil against the table, a tactic Rick discovered Sam used while planning, "Where were you?"

"My usual spot…several yards from where I'm staying," Rick turned when he felt Leah tense beside him, her fingernails digging into his hand, "They were there…I smelled them."

"Apparently, they haven't made the connection between Rick's scent during the day and the one at night," Sam muttered to himself, the tapping speeding up to the point of being annoying, "So you've never been near the reservation at night?"

"The closest would be our camping meadow…that's almost fifteen miles north of the boundary behind our house," Seth reached across the table and snatched the pencil from Sam's grasp, snapping it in two before tossing the pieces back at Sam, "You were driving me nuts."

"Okay," Sam grabbed the pieces and tossed them towards the trash as he stood up, "First point of order. The sun's going down in a couple of hours and we don't want Rick phasing here or anywhere near here, so Leah, we need you to take him up to the mountain campsite. You know which one I'm talking about?"

"The one Jacob used to hide Bella and Edward," Leah stood up, pulling Rick up to his feet.

"That's the one. You need to move fast, get him there before he phases. I don't want him to leave behind a trail…at all. Once he phases, keep him there, no matter what."

"I can think for myself tonight," Rick followed Leah across the living room and through the kitchen towards the front door, both of them followed closely by the pack that was still inside the house, "It's not a full moon."

"Whatever," Sam ignored the obvious annoyance in Rick's voice, "You two stay there until I tell you otherwise…and Rick," Sam waited until Rick turned to meet his stare, "If you run, you're going to have a pack of werewolves and a coven of vampires on your ass…not a pleasant way to spend the night, eh?"

Rick glared at Sam, wondering what the consequences of slugging an Alpha before his entire pack would be.

"You need to phase faster," Paul's voice rang clear across the front yard although he was several feet into the dense forest behind the house, "Get angry, you pansy ass babies!"

"Paul," Jared's voice was quieter but clear nonetheless, "Don't be such an ass. They're still new at this."

"Something that won't matter in less than two days."

Rick turned his attention back to the people standing around him, surprised to find Leah had phased, her brown-green eyes large and set on him.

"Alright," Sam reached out to scratch Leah behind an ear, quickly pulling his hand back when Rick turned to glare at him, "Mount up, Rick. Leah will have you at the campsite in no time."

"I'm not going to ride Leah up a mountain,' Rick shook his head in obvious objection, taking a step away from Leah.

"Bet that objection never crossed your mind last night," Collin mumbled under his breath, stepping back when both Sam and Rick turned on him.

"Shut the fuck up Collin!"

Seth chuckled as Rick and Sam turned to stare at each other, "There, you two are finally learning to cooperate. Now, since daylight's burning, how about you get on my sister and get going," Seth grimaced as he ran his fingers through his hair, "That sounded so wrong."

"I'm not –"

"Just get on!" The united order from the pack finally propelled Rick towards Leah, grabbing on to the scruff of her neck as she lowered herself, easily vaulting on to her back and holding on as she turned into the forest, the ground becoming a blur under her paws, the wind cold and sharp against his face.

If it weren't so humiliating, Rick knew he would be enjoying this.

As it was, he was doing his best to get over his bruised ego before they reached their destination.

* * *

Brady chuckled as they all watched Leah disappear into the trees with Rick clinging to her back, "If this weren't so serious and he wasn't so uptight, I would so make fun of him about this."

"He is pretty uptight," Collin shook his head from side to side as he crossed his arms, "I don't think he realized I was teasing Leah about not wearing a bra."

"Oh, he realized," Sam turned to give Collin a cocked eyebrow look, "He just didn't appreciate it. Enough about Rick and his lack of humor," Sam turned to look to his other side, "Seth, how long before the Cullens get here?"

"Jacob said they'd call when –" a ring tone interrupted, Seth dug his hand into the pocket of his cut-offs, glancing at the screen before flipping the phone open, "What up Jake? Awesome! Alright…we'll meet you at the treaty line…by the highway…that's the spot. Yeah…okay…see you then."

Closing the phone, he looked at Sam, "They just got into Seattle. They'll be here in a few hours."

Sam nodded, fisted hands resting on his hips as he thought back to Leah's revelation.

"Hey Sam," Quil broke into his thoughts, "Are you going to be okay with Jake?"

"Are all of you okay with what he did," Sam turned towards his pack as Paul, Jared and the other two new members of the pack, Randy and Dougie joined them.

"No," Paul shrugged off the glare Quil and Embry shot his way, "But I understand why he did it. I think if that were the only choice, all of us who had imprinted, would've done the same. Wouldn't you Sam?"

Sam stared off into space, remembering what it had been like to see Emily hurt and bleeding at his feet, afraid that he had killed her, wanting to die in her place…anything for her not to feel pain, "Yeah. I would have. As for Jacob…I'll reserve judgment until he gets here."

They all nodded, knowing that their Alpha was holding back, not because of personal hang ups but because he had a responsibility towards his pack and his people.

* * *

Jacob wasn't sure what the feeling sweeping through him was but he knew the last time he had felt it and why…

Human donated blood. Gross.

Just as he recognized it, it went away. Looking over his shoulder, he cocked an eyebrow, "Thanks Jasper."

"No problem."

Turning back to the front, he saw Annabelle move to his side out of the corner of his eye, her small hand slipping into his as they all stood quietly in the middle of the highway that led to La Push, the sinking sun sending long shadows keeping them from becoming brilliantly obvious as they waited quietly.

It had been agreed by all that Jacob would step forward as the spoke person of the group, get the major roadblock of his new condition out of the way. If that particular problem wasn't resolved, they would have to leave…with or without helping, depending on how much Sam could handle.

"They're coming," Edward spoke, his soft voice carrying in the slight breeze, "And in human form. That seems like a good sign."

"You would think," Jacob nodded slightly, tightening his fingers around Annabelle's hand, having a hard time with the idea that he might be placing her in danger.

"It's going to be okay, Jacob," Annabelle whispered, looking up at him with those big golden eyes that got him every time. Nodding his head with more conviction, he looked away from her, watching as one by one, his pack brothers came out of the dense fog that was rolling in from the ocean.

It was time to face the fact that the treaty had been broken, no matter what the reason, and consequences had to be faced.

In this case, the ones he had once called brothers…

* * *

Sam stopped a few feet away from Jacob, looking him over thoroughly, noticing the differences between him and the rest of his coven.

Oh God, Jacob, his pack brother, once his Alpha, was now the enemy…the painfully sweet scent attested to that.

Sam held back the natural rage that came along with that painful smell, doing his best to be objective…for Leah's sake, he had to be objective.

"Are you a vegetarian as well," Sam asked softly, having noticed the odd color of Jacob's eyes, not exactly burgundy but not yellow like the Cullen's either.

"Yes," Jacob did his best not to take offence, "I can't stomach human blood for some unknown reason."

"And you found this out how," Sam clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tight with the leashed tension he was struggling with.

"Donated blood," Jacob pulled Annabelle slightly behind him, knowing that Sam could snap at any second, "And before you ask, it was from a blood bank. The donator's still alive."

Sam nodded before his eyes shifted over to Bella, who had been standing beside Edward several feet behind and to the left of Jacob, "What about her?"

Jacob smiled slightly as he looked over his shoulder at Bella, seeing how Edward moved a step in front of her, "Bella has this weird ability to turn away from temptation. She hasn't tasted human blood…at all. I don't count the first and only time I did because I threw it up soon after."

"You threw up human blood," Quil spoke up, moving closer to the treaty line, the others in the pack quietly chuckling at that statement.

"Yeah," Jacob grinned at his old friend, "It was gross."

"The throw-up or the blood," Embry moved beside Quil, giving Jacob a big grin.

"Both," Jacob chuckled along with his two best friends, paying attention to Sam out of the corner of his eye…it looked like he was starting to relax.

Sam held out his hand to Jacob, not flinching as Jacob's cold hand made contact with his hot one, both shaking briefly, "We'll let you come across the treaty line…we need to make plans and we would appreciate your help."

"Alright," Emmett grinned as they moved across the treaty, the pack scurrying back quickly, keeping space between the two groups, "Let's start talking strategy."


	55. Chapter 54

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Finally! The next chapter! The suspense builds as the story comes to an end! I want to thank all of you for all the wonderful reviews as well as 82c10 for nominating me for some award or other as fave Leah's story. Don't recall all the details at this moment. Enjoy and review! I am one away from 200!**

**Chapter Fifty-Four**

Leah tried to hold still but a shudder racked her large frame, the fur on the back of her neck standing on end as she kept her eyes on Rick's wolf form.

He had kept his distance from her, even before he transformed. As soon as they had arrived the mountain campsite, Rick had climbed down from her back and moved deep into the shadows, leaving her to stand guard, her eyes tracking the setting sun.

She could feel the anxiety, the desperation…the fear emanating from him in suffocating waves despite the distance he was placing between them.

She wanted to comfort him but she couldn't figure out how. The one time she had moved towards him he had moved away.

She knew he was thinking about her…about the day he came home to find her gone…not just from his life but completely obliterated.

As if she had never existed.

Leah knew his love for the one he had chosen had been all consuming…and that made her doubt.

Not that he loved her…never that.

But the depth of his love.

Was it possible that he didn't love her enough?

Or that she loved him too much?

* * *

He knew what she was thinking…all her thoughts and doubts were so clearly displayed in her large brown-green eyes.

He wanted to tell her that it wasn't true, that the fear and anxiety he felt had everything to do with her and the danger that was quickly getting out of control.

But those same feelings were so overwhelmingly lodged in his throat, making it impossible for him to communicate in a way that she would understand.

In the end, he wasn't able to tell her the truth…that his love for her was nothing like the love he had felt for Ileana.

This love…it frightened him at how intense and all consuming it was…like a fire gone out of control.

For that reason, he wanted to leave before she got hurt…despite her assurance that she could hold her own.

He didn't want to risk her in any way or form…he didn't think he could handle seeing her put herself in danger for his sake.

He had been so stupid, going after the Volturi in a useless need for revenge. Now, it was all coming back to cost him what truly mattered to him.

Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he wished he could let her close, give her the comfort she needed and take the comfort she offered.

Instead, the night crawled by in silence, the tension between them growing thicker and thicker, the misunderstanding never cleared.

He feared for her…while she thought he was miles away thinking of another.

* * *

"They're coming," Seth ran out from the forest and around the corner of Sam's house towards the large group that stood around, "They just left the campsite."

Sam nodded before turning back to look at the Cullens, all of them standing several feet away from the front porch of his house, where the rest of his pack brothers were lounging, pretending to be at ease when in all actually, they were strung tighter than tree bark, "So are you sure that will work?"

"If Rick can explain, yes," Alice smiled at Sam, her hand tight in Jasper's as she continued, "Once he explains why this vision I'm having is so important, I'll be able to know more."

Sam nodded, leaning against the porch post, crossing his arms and ankles as they all silently waited for Leah and Rick, never taking their eyes off of each other.

Leah cocked an eyebrow at the silent stare off going on between her pack and the Cullens as she rounded the corner around Sam's house, Rick following close behind her.

Standing several feet away, she looked between the two quiet groups, wondering who or what was going to break the heavy silence.

She watched as Emmett turned to look at her, a big grin splitting his face as he quickly moved towards her, grabbing her and pulling her off her feet, "If it isn't the pup!"

"Emmett," Leah growled as she tried to shove against his shoulders, her nose wrinkling at the overwhelming sweetness coming from him, "Put me down you big oaf!"

"Sheesh," Emmett placed her on her feet before stepping back, "One would think you hadn't missed me."

"I didn't," Leah held her jaw rigid at the look of insult on Emmett's face before finally breaking into a smile, "Okay, fine. Maybe a little. God, you stink."

"Yeah, well, you don't smell so great either," Emmett made a show of wiping his hands on his jeans as he stepped away, gagging dramatically, "Yuck, pup, did you swim through a river?"

"Ha, ha," Leah stuck her tongue out at Emmett before turning towards her pack, a burst of laughter escaping her at the identical looks of shock and horror they all sported as the kept their bugged out eyes on her, "What's with you guys? Never seen a reunion between good friends?"

"No," Seth gave his sister a barely disguised look of disgust, "It wasn't that…it's just…"

"You let him hug you," Collin grimaced as his gaze swung between Emmett and Leah.

"That just doesn't seem right," Brady wrinkled his nose, his teeth bared in a snarl.

"Forget right," Paul shuddered as he tried to move further away from the Cullens, which was impossible because he was leaning up against a wall, "It just isn't natural."

Leah shook her head as she moved towards her pack, "Oh get over it. I surely did…although I could use a bath."

"Same here," Emmett moved to join the Cullens, reaching out for Rosalie who neatly side stepped him.

"Don't touch me," Rosalie frowned at him, never haven't been comfortable with the friendship that had blossomed between Leah and Emmett during the month they had cared for her after the accident, "You know I don't like you touching me after you've hugged her."

"I feel the same way," Leah gave Rosalie an angelic smile as she slid her hands into the back pockets of her cut-offs, "I don't like it when he hugs me after he touches you."

"Would you two stop before the catfight starts," Jacob shook his head, trying not to laugh at the looks on his pack brothers' faces…kind of like the horror that washed over you as you watched a horrific accident in slow motion, "We've got some strategizing to do."

"What," Leah looked from Jacob to Sam and back again, "Are you telling me that you've spent all night staring at each other to see who would blink first instead of thinking up strategies?"

"No," Sam shook his head, trying not to look guilty because that's what they had done for most part of the night, "We talked some things out. Mostly stuff Alice has seen that Rick needs to explain."

"What do I need to explain," Rick moved forward to stand next to Leah, having staid back during the entire _reunion._

"Well, first things first," Jacob turned to look at Rick, a frown etched on his face, "Have they made the connection between you and the wolf?"

"No," Alice answered for him, "They'd be here by now if they had. It seems Caius is intrigued about the abrupt disappearance of his scent yet the constant overwhelming stink of the pack. Even if they can't find Rick, Caius still wants to figure out what's going on with that other scent."

"There," Sam turned to look at Rick, arching at eyebrow as Rick gave him a blank look, "We now have to fight for our own existence and not just yours. No need to continue with ideas of running away and having them follow you."

Rick shook his head, his eyes moving over the pack and the coven, "It won't work. There's too many of them."

"You're right," Edwards spoke up, moving to stand several feet beside Jacob, "There are, but not all of them will fight. Both Marcus and Caius are here, along with their guard, but only Caius is obsessed with finding you. He believes you to be his last chance at creating a vampire-werewolf hybrid…besides, most of the guards you destroyed were part of his detail so he seems to have a personal vendetta against you as well."

"What about Jacob," Rick cocked his head, realizing he had spoken out of turn when all of the Cullens turned to stare at him along with the pack.

"What about Jacob," Sam repeated the question, looking from Rick to Jacob, waiting for someone to answer.

"Way to go, you ass," Jacob muttered under his breath before turning to look at Sam, "Don't ask me how it's possible, it just is."

"What is?"

Jacob shifted his weight as Annabelle tightened her hand around his, "I can still phase."

The pack took a collective breath as they all stared at him, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"There's no way," Sam shook his head in denial as he stared at Jacob, "It's not possible…the venom freezes you in place…it doesn't let you age…it shouldn't let you change."

"Carlisle thinks it's due to the twenty-fourth chromosome I have…" Jacob looked towards Carlisle, who gave him an encouraging smile, "My transformations are no longer ruled by my emotions."

"Who else knows this," Seth spoke up, moving to stand next to Sam.

"Aside from all of you and us," Jacob looked down at Annabelle, seeing the worry she'd been carrying since they decided to come to La Push in her golden eyes, "No one."

"No one else can know," Annabelle spoke up, turning to look at Sam, "Especially the Volturi. They'll try to take him away."

"Jacob won't be phasing at all during the confrontation," Carlisle spoke up, his face calm despite the varying emotions being displayed by the pack, "There won't be any need and we don't want the Volturi to know about his ability…at all."

"Understood," the pack answered in unison, a nervous chuckle escaping them as they looked at each other.

"What else am I suppose to explain," Rick crossed his arms, shifting his weight, a jolt of electricity running through his body as his arm brushed against Leah's.

"Well," Jacob shrugged his shoulders, "Alice said if we lure them to the field where we had the newborn fight a few years ago around three in the afternoon, we won't be so outnumbered. Can you explain that?"

"No."

Alice stepped forward, Jasper moving with her, his eyes constantly moving over the pack, body tense as he remained on the alert, "Tomorrow at three in the afternoon, there's an eclipse. Is that significant?"

Rick stared at her, his breath catching in his chest as he realized the full import of that particular revelation.

He wouldn't have to stand back and watch Leah fight to protect him…instead, he would be able to protect her…

A smile spread across his face as he slowly nodded, noticing how everyone else was slowly smiling and nodding with him, "Yes. That's significant…very significant."


	56. Chapter 55

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: This has been a fun and yet hard chapter to write. The more I write, the closer to the end I get, and I am starting to have mixed feelings about that. Anyway, at the end of this chapter, I'll have a fun note added concerning the Cullens' and the pack's sacrificed t-shirts. Say what? Read and you will find out! I just found out my story was nominated as Best Leah story in the Jacob Black and Pack Awards. That made me super happy! My vacation week is coming up and my goal is to complete this story by then, so keep up and review! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

It was sheer ingenuity that had the Volturi all over Washington, Oregon, Idaho and even Alaska throughout the night, following the scent they recognized as the enemy, along with a scent that only mildly interested them, simply making them wonder about the wolf population in the surrounding area.

Jasper's military experience had made it possible to keep the Volturi busy until the appropriate time, but it had been Bella's flash of genius that had kept the Cullens' involvement form the Volturi.

Half an hour before three in the afternoon found Rick standing alone in the field where the newborn fight had occurred.

He stared at the sky, watching the moon make its way towards the sun as he flashed back to the planning involved to get the timing right.

"_We're going to need ten one liter water bottles," Jasper paced in a tight circle, hands behind his back, eyebrows lowered in concentration, "Preferably the kind that squirt."_

"_I can get those from our store," Seth shifted, his muscles bunching and relaxing as he tried to let the tension roll off him, "But what do you need them for?"_

"_It would be the best way to spread a false scent trail without Rick," Jasper didn't think anything of it while everyone else got a slightly horrified, not to mention disgusted, look on their faces, "We'll spread into ten different directions…that should keep them occupied for majority of the night. Alice?"_

"_That should do it," Alice said with a grimace._

"_So," Collin was having a hard time, keeping a straight face, "Rick's going to have to pee into ten water bottles?"_

_Brady and Seth made a chocking sound as they fought back laughter, while the rest of the pack didn't even bother._

"_I'm not peeing into water bottles," Rick glared at Collin, wondering if a sound thumping would teach the boy to keep his foot out of his mouth, "I don't have that great an aim."_

_Collin finally lost the battle, doubling over and laughing along with his brothers._

_The Cullens stood as they watched the pack, the only one joining them in the amusement was Jacob._

"_There won't be any need to urinate into the water bottles," Jasper gave them pack a look that had them straightening up in seconds as they fought to gain control, only to lose it again when Jasper continued, "You can use a bucket."_

"_Kind of like milking a cow," Collin gasped, finally collapsing on the ground along with Seth, the others leaning against walls and posts as they wrapped their arms around aching stomachs, tears of mirth finally making an appearance._

"_This is serious," Rick glared at them, his eyes finally resting on a laughing Sam, thinking he was setting a very poor example as Alpha, "And that is not remotely funny."_

"_Oh Rick," Leah took a hitching breath as she wiped away her tears, trying to gain control, "You gotta learn to lighten up, otherwise they'll be merciless."_

"_Alright, alright," Sam pushed away from the post, taking a deep breath, "That's enough," he watched as the pack straightened up, all of them having heard the Alpha command within the words, "There's going to be a problem, though."_

"_And that would be," Jasper stood with legs splayed shoulder width apart, hands clasped behind his back as he stared at Sam._

"_You'll be leaving your scent behind along with Rick's."_

_The Cullens all looked towards Jasper as he nodded, consenting to this problem, his mouth tightening in concentration as he tried to think of a solution._

"_We can disguise our scent," Bella spoke up, her teeth coming down on her bottom lip as everyone turned to look at her._

"_How?" Jasper asked at the same time Alice exclaimed, "Bella, that's brilliant!"_

"_We can borrow t-shirts from the pack."_

_The Cullens turned to look at the pack at the same time they looked at each other. None of them, save Leah and Rick, were wearing any sort of shirt._

"_Well," Sam shifted his weight, "I've got a couple of shirts in the dirty laundry basket…the rest of them are in the closet."_

"_They need to be used," Carlisle spoke up, realizing the genius of the idea, "And we need ten of them."_

"_I can't lose that many shirts," Sam turned to look at his brothers, "Then shirts about makes up my entire wardrobe."_

"_I might have one or two somewhere on the floor of my room," Seth volunteered his shirts grudgingly before looking at Paul with a raised eyebrow._

"_Hell no," Paul shook his head, "I'm not going to give them any of my shirts."_

"_Oh come on," Collin's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter at Paul's horrified look, "You must have one shirt that you don't like."_

"_I love all my shirts!"_

"_This is the perfect time for you to get rid of that "I'm with dumbass" t-shirt Rachel hates," Leah suggested as Rick chuckled quietly._

"_What are you laughing at," Paul glared at Rick, his hands fisting at his sides._

"_All of you," Rick shook his head, a slightly mocking grin on his face, "You're willing to risk your lives but a few t-shirts? You're acting like they're asking you to give up a kidney."_

"_Hold on," Rosalie moved towards the front, her lovely face looking troubled, "We're going to wear the dogs' shirts?"_

"_Hey," Jacob exclaimed as he turned to look at Rosalie, "The blond just caught up! Next time, try to keep up Rose."_

"_Stuff it mutt," Rosalie snarled at him before looking at Jasper, "I don't want to wear one of their shirts. They stink!"_

"_Good thing you can hold your breath indefinitely," Leah grinned at Rosalie, completely oblivious to the threatening look the blond send her way._

"_Okay," Sam nodded as he pointed at a few of his pack brothers, "You guys, go get one of your dirty shirts…your least favorite."_

"_We can return them," Esme offered, her face showing genuine sincerity._

"_No," the pack exclaimed, all of them clamming up as Sam tried to spare Esme's feelings, "Rachel really does hate Paul's t-shirt…and most of us have a few shirts we should get rid of."_

"_You mean like your "I'm not as think as you drunk I am" t-shirt Emily absolutely hates?" Leah grinned at the glare Sam shot her way, "Emily will be absolutely ecstatic."_

"_Oh," Collin turned to look at Seth, "You can get rid of your FBI t-shirt."_

"_What's wrong with my FBI shirt?"_

"_Female Body Inspector," Collin rolled his eyes, "Your mother cringes anytime you wear that shirt."_

"_I'm sure all of you have a shirt someone in your life hates," Jasper broke in, having seen Brady about to make a t-shirt suggestion to Collin, "So go get them."_

_Jasper turned to look at Edward, whispering under his breath, "This is why I hate collaborating with werewolves. They can't focus."_

_Edward chuckled before whispering back, "You do realize we're the ones that are going to be wearing these shirts, right?"_

"_I call dibs on the FBI shirt," Emmett called out, laughing as Rosalie gave him a venomous glare._

"_Rosalie," Annabelle looked over her shoulder at the pissed off blond, a grin on her face, "You can always take the "I'm with dumbass" shirt."_

_The Cullens all laughed at the look of offence on Emmett's face before turning back to the pack._

"_What next, Jasper," Jacob asked, noticing how fidgety Rick was getting._

"_We go to the mountain campsite before nightfall. We don't want them finding Rick before three o' clock tomorrow afternoon. Once there, after Rick transforms, we'll prepare everything. Once that's done, we'll split off; start spraying several miles from the campsite. The rest of you can stay there. We'll meet you at the meadow half an hour before three. Rick, you'll be out in the open on your own. I don't want them to know they're at a disadvantage until it's too late. Once there, Edward will see what they have planned and we'll counteract that as we go. Sound good?"_

_Everyone nodded, the tension suddenly returning as they all realized that at some point, there would no longer be a plan to follow._

A slight noise caught his attention. Looking across the open field, he watched as shadow after shadow separated itself from the forest line, slowly spreading out into a line and a couple of feet separating each of them as they turned to face him.

He watched as the one in the middle, the one he knew to be Caius, took several steps forward, practically gliding away from the rest of his guards.

"Well, well," Caius' reedy voice was carried by a slight breeze as he stopped several feet away from Rick, "A human when I was looking for a werewolf."

"Yeah," Rick glanced up at the sky, noticing the moon slowly moving closer to the sun…too slowly, "I heard you've been looking for me."

"So…you," Caius tilted his head to the side, his burgundy eyes moving over Rick, "You're the one."

"Right," Rick's mouth tilted sideways into a mocking grin, "I'm the one that took down over a hundred of your guard."

"Alone?" Caius clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowing, "Well, of course alone. You're the only one left of your kind, aren't you?"

Rick's jaw tightened, his blue eyes icing over in anger the slight taunting tone to Caius' words, "No thanks to you."

"Yes well," Caius nodded slightly, a small smile appearing on his papery white face, "I didn't expect thanks…there shouldn't have been any considering we thought we had them all…but I must say I'm glad you were spared. I haven't found any others of your kind to continue experimenting with."

"It wouldn't have done you any good, anyway," Rick watched Caius contemplate his words; "Your venom is poison to my kind."

Rick wanted that doubt planted into Caius mind, not only for Jacob's safety but also for the pack…but most importantly, for his Leah. He didn't want Caius to ever get it into his head, once he came face to face with the Quileute werewolves, the possibility that a hybrid might still exist.

"Ah," Caius released a sigh, moving a step back, "Then there's no purpose to keeping you alive any longer, is there?"

Rick knew without having to look up into the sky that he had overplayed his hand…

**FUN AN: Here's the list of who is wearing whose t-shirt and what it says. As you can imagine, the pack goes out of the way of getting their dumbest slogan shirts (which unfortunately for them happened to be their favorite shirts as well but hey, there's gotta be some sacrifice right?) to give to the Cullens. Here it is:**

*** Emmett wears Seth's shirt: FBI -Female Body Inspector  
* Rosalie wears Paul's shirt (Paul not happy about this at all): I'm With Dumbass  
* Jasper wears Sam's shirt: I'm not as think as you drunk I am  
* Bella wears Collin's shirt (which is so old the "H" has worn off): I ate Stupid People  
* Edward wears Brady's shirt: Your Inferiority Complex Might Be Justified  
* Jacob wears one of his old shirts that Seth went to get for him from the Black's house: Everybody Rides For Free  
* Alice wears Jared's shirt (He has a hard time not laughing everytime he looks at Alice after she puts it on): Feminist Chicks Dig Me  
* Esme wears Embry's shirt (the Cullens have a hard time not laughing at the oxymoronism of this one): Mean People Succeed  
* Carlise wears Quil's shirt (this time, they all try not to laugh because it fits his personality so well): Git-R-Done  
* Annabelle takes the last shirt, which belongs to one of the new werewolves: I'm All In**

**So yes, they are wearing these shirts when they run off with Rick's scent and then encounter the Volturi. I know...got to find a way to release some tension. Enjoy!**


	57. Chapter 56

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's the next chapter! This one was a tough one to write but I got it done yesterday evening. I hope to finish the next one and update it either later tonight before I leave the store or tomorrow. Remember to review and let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

It was torture having to wait, her eyes never moving from the lone figure standing in the middle of the open field.

She had wanted to be by his side, to keep him company while he waited, baiting the deathly enemy that was still out there, being led by the nose thanks to the Cullens' false trails.

Even with those false trails, she didn't feel confident that the timing was right…so many things could go wrong.

That had been her argument when she suggested standing with him…unfortunately, that had also been his argument when he insisted she stay hidden in the forest with the rest of the pack –stay a four legged menace instead of a two legged vulnerability.

Alice's whining at the inability to see what would happen if she stood with Rick had led to Sam supporting Rick.

So here she was…claws digging into the earth to keep herself from moving, jaw shut tight to keep from howling in frustrating fear and a mind unable to focus on anything but him –a lone figure, out in the open…so vulnerable…so weak…

Absolute torture.

_Last night, they had settled into a corner of the cave, the rest of the pack on the opposite side, trying to give each other space but in the end, unable to._

_Leah moved closer to the wall, making space for Rick, who kept nudging her towards a corner before settling down next to her, curling his large frame around her smaller one until she was no longer visible, not only to any outside eyes but to the pack as well._

_Resting her head on her paws, she felt him move again, his head settling over hers, one front leg sliding under her head, the other moving to rest over her back._

_It felt good to have him this close, especially after the night before when the distance between them hadn't just been physical but emotional as well._

_Now that she felt his weight, his heat, his nearness, she wished she knew how to communicate with him._

_Feeling a rumble deep in his chest as he moved his head to nip at one of her ears, she felt something primal and elemental shift in her and without understanding how, she understood what he was saying._

_**Rick:**__I'm here. I feel you…I hear you._

_Leah sighed before turning her head to rub her nose against his throat._

_**Leah:**__ I'm afraid for you. I want to be with you._

_Rick growled, lifting his head to gently bite down on the back of her neck._

_**Rick:**__ No. Too dangerous. I don't want you to fight at all._

_Leah buried her head between his front legs, his beating heart loud against her ears._

_**Leah:**__ Don't ask me to stay away. I need to be with you. Near you._

_Rick let out a sigh, his hot breath stirring the fur on the back of her neck before he rubbed his muzzle between her ears._

_**Rick:**__ I need to know you're safe. Stay with the pack._

_A low whine escaped her as she moved closer to him._

_**Leah:**__ Don't get hurt. Don't get hurt._

_Rick nuzzled her neck before tugging at her ear._

_**Rick:**__ I won't. You don't get hurt._

_Leah rubbed her head against the underside of his jaw._

_**Leah:**__ I won't._

**Seth: **_What are you two sniffling, whining and growling about over there? _

**Leah:**_ We're talking. Do you mind?_

**Seth:**_ You mean you're having a conversation you can actually understand?_

**Leah:**_ Yes._

**Seth:** _Uh. Interesting. Anyway, think you can keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep._

**Leah: **_Jerk._

**Seth:**_ Yeah, yeah. Just keep it down._

_Leah rubbed her nose against Rick's chest before settling her head on top of his paw, synchronizing her breathing with the steady beat of his heart._

_Without much struggle, she fell asleep, his heat and nearness giving her the sense of safety she craved._

Leah sucked in a breath as she watched shadows moving among the trees across the field, slowly making their way towards the open field.

Surging forward, she forced back a growl when Seth moved to block her path.

**Seth:** _Leah, you have to stay back._

**Leah: **_They're already here! There's still half an hour before three! I can't leave him out there alone._

**Sam:** _Leah, stop screaming. _

**Paul: **_Yeah, you're giving me a headache._

**Sam: **_Not now, Paul. Leah, Rick will know how to stall them. If we have to interfere early, we will. But you're not walking out there on your own. Rick doesn't want them to single you out._

Leah moved back, her ears flat against her head as she heard Caius taunting Rick.

**Leah:** _I can't…oh God, I can't just stand here._

**Sam: **_Leah, if you're having such a hard time dealing with this, go back to Emily's and wait for us there. He'll be safe…I promise._

Leah shook her head, moving further back away from the pack, her eyes never leaving Rick.

Alice gasped, turning to look at Edward just as his head whipped around towards Leah.

**Leah:** _I can't leave him alone._

"Sam! She's going to phase," Edward hissed under his breath.

**Sam:** _Leah, don't!_

The Alpha command came a second too late as Leah quickly pulled on her clothes, running under Seth, around Sam and somehow dodging Jasper as he lunged for her, breaking through the forest line and stepping out into the field in time to hear Caius' coldly spoken words.

"Then there's no purpose to keeping you alive any longer, is there?"

* * *

Rick watched with a sinking sensation as Caius' eyes moved to focus at some point behind him and he knew, without a doubt, that Leah had managed to break away from the pack and the Cullens.

He tried to hold back a groan as her soft hand slipped into his, her long fingers wrapping tight around his, her heat practically burning him as he watched Caius looking Leah over.

"Interesting," Caius tilted his head to the side as he stepped forward towards them, "She's human and yet she smells…canine."

"She's of no interest to you," Rick tried to pull her behind him but she wouldn't move.

"I beg to differ," Caius took another step towards them, "You see, I was rather curious about the overwhelming canine scent around here. I thought perhaps this part of Washington had an

unusually large wolf population. Now I see I was wrong. How many like her are there?"

"She's the only one," Rick finally took a step forward to shield Leah, "And you're not getting your hands on her."

"And I suppose you'll be able to stop me?"

"No, but I will," Leah stepped around Rick to stand beside him, her eyes on Caius, her hand holding his tight.

Rick cursed under his breath before leaning in to whisper into her ear, keeping Caius in his line of periphery vision, "I told you to stay back."

"I couldn't leave you alone," Leah's hand tightened convulsively around his, her eyes never leaving Caius.

"Dammit Leah. I told you to stay back because I didn't want you here."

"You may not want me but you need me," Leah finally turned her eyes away from Caius, looking deep into Rick's eyes and seeing something she couldn't understand.

"No Leah," Rick pulled his hand out of hers, begging with his eyes for her to go back, "I don't _need_ you here."

He needed her back with the pack, standing on four legs and not two.

He needed her far away from harm.

He needed her anywhere else, any place, that didn't include Caius blood red eyes on her.

* * *

She couldn't get pass what she saw in his eyes.

The gaping pit of blackness she had managed to avoid falling into was staring right at her, begging her to move away, to run and escape before it swallowed her whole.

Without thought or reason, she moved back, the pit creeping towards her, painful words echoing in it _I don't need you_ louder and louder until something cold grabbed her, quickly followed by a burning pain that spread and intensified, pitching her forward into the waiting darkness, her screams echoing as she fell.

* * *

Caius watched with interest as the two humans interacted. Without having Marcus' relationship talent, which he'd always secretly thought was ridiculous –until now, that is –he was able to discern some deep bond between these two.

Now, if he could only figure out how to use that nugget of information to his advantage.

Like a cat, he watched her moved away from the other one, completely oblivious that she was moving closer to him.

Another step closer and Caius knew. He wasn't one to play with his food, but this particular prey had been a nuisance to him so he didn't mind getting his own back.

Besides, being that this one was different from the other one, his hybrid experimentation might yield results.

Seeing his chance, Caius pounced, a cold smile on his face before he bit down.

* * *

The horror washed over him as sharp white teeth bit into lush skin, the sound of sucking blood turning his stomach as her screams raked his soul like burning hot razors.

Chaos erupted around them as Caius tossed Leah to the side, spitting onto the ground before locking eyes with Rick.

"I don't think I've ever encountered a more disgusting taste," Caius cocked an eyebrow as he looked at the others fighting around him before glancing carelessly at a writhing screaming Leah a few feet away, "How does it feel? Not being able to do anything for the one you care about? I mean, you do care about her, don't you?"

Rick felt the burning acid of rage well up in him, making it impossible to look away from Caius, somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered the painful sound of Leah's screams.

Feeling a familiar tightening of his skin and a burning sensation intensifying within his bone marrows, Rick gave Caius a smile, "Whatever made you think I can't do anything?"

Without hesitation, Rick ran towards Caius, leaping the last few feet as he erupted out of his clothes, his bones and muscles shifting into a horse sized wolf, sharp teeth bared, claws aimed straight towards Caius' face.

Despite the overwhelming shock, Caius was able to move, spinning around just as Rick landed on all fours, the fur down his back standing on end as he slowly stalked towards Caius, teeth bared into a snarl.

"It's not possible," Caius muttered to himself as he glanced wildly about him, noticing for the first time the abnormally large amount of large wolves –they were everywhere!

Swinging back to look at an advancing Rick, he shook his head, a sudden fear rising up to choke him as he recognized Carlisle Cullen setting fire to a dismembered body that had been one of his guard, "You shouldn't be able to transform. It's the middle of the day!"

Rick growled before lunging towards Caius, sidestepping in time to avoid a kick before snapping his jaw shut around an arm, Caius' screams bringing him satisfaction as he tossed aside the arm, rushing Caius before he managed to gather himself.

* * *

"Bella! You have to grab her," Edward yelled over his shoulder as he moved to the side, reaching out and grabbing the vampire's arm with one hand, the other fisting in his hair before he pulled, wrenching the arm out of the socket and snapping the neck, tossing the body parts into a nearby pyre, pulling out a lighter and flipping it before tossing it down, moving away to help Bella reach a screaming Leah.

"I'm trying!" Bella punched a vampire in the face before kicking him in the kneecap, shoving him down before quickly tossing a lighted lighter on him, "These damn vampires keep getting in the way!"

Edward jumped onto the back of a vampire, sinking his teeth into the back of her neck and decapitating her just as Bella reached Leah, grabbing her and spinning around to run back into the forest, Edward blocking interfering vampires on the way.

Reaching the forest line, they moved into the cool darkness of the trees, Seth and Collin moving behind them to keep them from being followed.

Bella placed a writhing screaming Leah on the ground, looking over at Edward.

"You can do this Bella," Edward smiled at her as he took hold of Leah's head to keep it still, turning it slightly until the bleeding teeth marks were visible.

Bella nodded, taking a deep breath then wishing she hadn't as the canine scent made her gag.

She was going to have to do it, no matter how disgusting it might be.

Good thing they had this contingency plan in place just in case something like this happened.

* * *

Rick howled in satisfaction as he ripped another chunk from Caius, circling around him, watching how he moved to keep him in his line of vision.

Not that it mattered. Rick was going to win this fight.

* * *

Sam jumped over Paul, taking down two vampires that were ganging up on Dylan, one of the new werewolves. Ripping into them, he tossed them aside, watching in satisfaction as Alice set the pieces on fire.

All the Cullens were carrying lighters, making it possible to completely obliterate members of the Volturi guard.

The field was littered with burning pyres, the cloying sweetness of the smoke practically clogging up his lungs.

But he knew how to counter that…killing more vampires.

A howl ripped through the air, causing Sam's skin to tighten as he turned in time to see Emmett and Jasper rip apart a vampire, a red brown wolf lying on the ground.

Their second casualty.

**Dougie:** _Son of a fucking bitch! This hurts like hell!_

**Sam:**_Did he bite you?_

**Dougie:** _No but I'm sure he broke every one of my fucking bones! Holy shit! Tell them to be careful!_

Sam watched as Carlisle and Jasper moved Dougie towards the forest, his howls growing louder.

**Sam: **_Dougie, pipe down. You're going to have to phase so Dr. Cullen can set you up._

**Dougie: **_How the hell am I going to phase?_

**Sam: **_Calm down and figure it out. Seth, how's Leah?_

**Seth:**_ No longer screaming. I don't know what's going on but I'm taking the silence as a good sign._

Sam mentally gave a nod as he pounced on another vampire.

All things considered, this fight seemed to be going well.

* * *

"Enough."

The dryness of the voice seemed to have the same effect as a high pitched whistle as everyone on the field froze, all eyes moving towards the same point.

Marcus stood at the edge of the forest, his eyes surveying everything with a bored expression, "I have no interest in continuing this. It's apparent the victory belongs to you. I will take whatever's left of the guard and leave."

The Cullens pulled back, the werewolves following suit, Rick moving to stand next to the burning pyre that had once been Caius.

"You may go," Annabelle stepped forward, "And take what's left. Just know, we'll defend what is ours."

"Apparently," Marcus blinked before sweeping his hand towards the few standing guards of the Volturi, "We will go now."

Nobody moved until the last shadow disappeared into the darkness of the forest. As one, they all turned the opposite way, the Cullens in the front line as the shape shifters followed behind, phasing down and quickly pulling on their cut offs.

Several feet into the forest, they encountered Carlisle, Jasper and Dougie, whom had managed to phase down.

"I've taped his ribs and put a splint on his arm," Carlisle stood up, stepping back as Sam pointed at Quil, Embry, Dylan and Brandon.

"You four take him to Emily's," Sam watched as they moved around Dougie, thankfully passed out from the pain, "Then meet us at the Clearwaters."

They nodded before heading off with Dougie through the trees.

Sam stumbled to the side as Rick pushed through, still in wolf form, then turned towards Carlisle, "Where's Leah?"

Carlisle replied as Rick headed deeper into the forest, "Several yards west of here. Bella and Edward are with her."

They all followed behind Rick, moving quickly around the trees until they reached the small cleared ground where Leah laid, Edward and Bella on each side, Rick standing guard over her.

"Did you get everything Bella," Carlisle moved to kneel by Leah's head.

"Her blood tastes disgusting but its clean," Bella gagged at the memory of not only sucking out the venom-tainted blood but actually throwing it up several feet away from where they sat.

"She's not responding Carlisle," Edward watched as Carlisle lifted first one eyelid then the other.

"How long has it been since Bella sucked all the venom out," Carlisle placed his fingers at the pulse point on Leah's throat.

"Almost fifteen minutes," Edward moved back to give Carlisle room to continue examining Leah, "She won't respond to her name or any other stimuli."

"It's too soon to tell what's going on but we need to get her home," Carlisle stood up along with Edward and Bella, raising an eyebrow when Rick moved to block Sam, who had moved forward to pick up Leah, "Okay. Alice, how much longer is the eclipse lasting?"

"About five more minutes," Alice moved towards Bella's side as Seth stepped around Sam, reaching for his sister, everyone watching as Rick moved to the side in permission, "Someone needs to go get Rick some shorts."

"I left a pair by that tree over there," Seth nodded towards a pine tree, "Follow after us once you're able to."

* * *

Something was happening and it drove her crazy not to know what it was.

Leah had told her that Gabriel would benefit most by spending the day with Emily and the twins, but now Sue wished she had protested.

At least with her grandson in the house, she wouldn't be pacing back and forth, the uneasiness growing until it left her feeling queasy.

Even the phenomenon of an eclipse couldn't distract her from worrying. They didn't tell her what exactly was going on but she had understood the gist of it –the enemy was bearing down and her children were risking their lives as tribe honor demanded.

Looking out the window, Sue gasped, running towards the front door, flinging it open and rushing onto the porch as the pack walked up the road, Sam heading the group of large Quileute boys. Even with them grouped around him, she could see her son, her heart jumping up into her throat when she couldn't find Leah.

"Sam, where's Leah," Sue tried to keep from crying as Dr. Cullen approached her. The last time he had been allowed onto the reservation, Jacob had been seriously hurt.

His presence did not reassure her in any way.

Turning her eyes back to Sam, she felt that uneasiness she had been dealing with all morning slowly coagulate into a lump of fear at the pit of her stomach, "Where is she Sam? Where's my Leah?"

"Sue…" Sam swallowed, not knowing what to say considering they didn't know what was wrong. Unable to come up with the words, he moved to the side, Paul and Jared following suit.

Sue's eyes filled with tears as Seth stepped forward, an unconscious Leah in his arms, her beautiful cinnamon colored skin washed out, the paleness making the dried blood on her throat and shoulder seem gorier.

"Oh God," Sue couldn't hold back the sob as she stumbled towards Seth, placing a shaking hand on Leah's forehead, "Please no."

"Mom," Seth ducked his head to look into Sue's pale face, "She's alive."

"She's alive," Sue whispered, placing a kiss on her daughter's cheek, "Why won't she wake up?"

"We don't know yet," Seth tightened his arms around his sister, "Dr. Cullen will find out. She'll be alright Mom."

Sue nodded, brushing away her tears just as movement by the forest line caught her eye.

Turning away from Seth and Leah, she watched the lone figure step away from the shadows onto the road leading towards them.

"You!"

The fear…the pain…the agony of seeing her daughter hurt turned into a white hot rage and without reason or logic, she targeted him.


	58. Chapter 57

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**Disclaimer: Any and all medical talk in this chapter is parts made up and parts knowledge from exposure to it at work. Please do not take any of the medical talk seriously. Thank you!**

**AN: Here's the next one! I believe I only have one more chapter to go...yup. All that's left is the Epilogue. Enjoy and Review!**

**Chapter Fifty-Seven**

Rick watched as Sue rushed towards him, not making a move to stop her as her fist came his way, a burst of pain radiating from his eye socket as his head snapped back.

"I told you," Sue shrieked at him as she slapped him, the force of the blow splitting his lip open, "I warned you. You let her get hurt!"

"Sue," Sam moved around the others, all of them staring at Sue in surprise as she hit Rick again, "You need to stop."

"You were suppose to take care of her," Sue couldn't keep the tears of anger from escaping as she hit him, not paying attention to the fact that Rick was doing nothing to stop the blows she kept sending his way.

Sam finally grabbed Sue around the waist, pulling her away from Rick, watching as Rick wiped his bleeding lip with the back of his hand, his light blue eyes flat and empty of any emotion as he watched Sue crying, "Sue, you have to calm down. We need to get Leah inside the house."

Sue nodded her head, taking a deep shuddering breath before she glanced at Rick, "He's not coming in. I'm never allowing him anywhere near my daughter ever again."

Sam watched as pain flashed in Rick's eyes, "Sue, you can't do that. He needs to be with her…and she needs him too."

* * *

_THREE DAYS_

Rick leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window pane, staring sightlessly at the cloudy sky, his mind trapped in the conversation that was taking place in the hallway.

"It's been three days," Sue crossed her arms across her chest as she followed Carlisle out into the hall, leaving the door open so Rick, who refused to leave Leah's side, could hear the conversation.

"Mrs. Clearwater," Carlisle looked into Sue's eyes, his compassion obvious in his butterscotch eyes, "I believe Leah's slipped into a sort of coma. She seems lost in her subconscious for some reason or other, unable to return. I don't know how long it might be…she could wake up later today, in a week, a month…a year. Meanwhile, we need to make sure she's taken care of in every way. I need to go to the hospital and get some things," Carlisle ran his fingers through his hair, "I'll come back and start her on a drip. I'll also need to discuss the care she needs to avoid muscle atrophy as well as bedsores for as long as she may be unconscious."

"Of course," Sue nodded, feeling like she was drowning, "Is there anything we can do? I mean, to bring her back?"

"Talk to her," Carlisle looked into the room, his eyes moving from Leah to Rick before returning to Sue, "About anything. Remind her she's got something to come back to. If you think it wise, bring in her son to visit her for a few minutes a day."

Sue nodded, looking into the room, her eyes resting on her daughter's still form.

Pushing himself away from the window, he moved to sit by Leah's bedside as Sue walked Carlisle down the hall and out the house.

Staring at her blank face, he reached out and caressed her cheek, his fingers gentle against her soft skin.

"_Agape mou,_" his voice was soft as he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers, "You promised. You promised you wouldn't get hurt. Come back to me, Leah _mou_."

He took her hand and placed it on his cheek, holding it there as he willed her with everything in him to open her eyes.

But she lay there, so still and quiet.

"Rick."

He looked over his shoulder to see Sue leaning against the doorframe.

"I made chicken noodle soup."

Rick shook his head as he turned his eyes back to Leah's face, "Thank you Sue but I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat something."

"Not yet."

Sue sighed before turning away, needing to feed her grandson. The last three days had found both of them constantly at Leah's side, working together to keep her comfortable, to give her the needed care. That had brought them past formalities and into a semi-friendly state of being.

"Mama?"

Sue's heart nearly broke at little Gabe's hopeful face as he looked up from the blocks he had been playing with on the living room floor.

"Sorry sweetie," Sue kneeled down beside her grandson, cuddling him into her arms, "Mama's still asleep. Maybe after lunch we can try to wake her up, okay?"

"'Kay." Gabe stuck his thumb into his mouth, something he'd never done before as Sue picked him up and took him to the kitchen.

As hard as it was for her to see her daughter lost in an unknown darkness, it was harder to witness the hope then disappointment on her grandson's face every time he heard someone entering the house.

Closing her eyes, she sent a heartfelt prayer heavenward.

_Please Lord. Help her come back to us._

* * *

_ONE WEEK_

Rick slid one hand under her right knee, closing the other one around her ankle, gently bending her leg at the knee before straightening it out and repeating the movement.

"Gabriel's been really crabby lately," Rick kept his movements of her leg smooth and steady, "He's missing you something bad. We all are."

Finishing the set of ten, he moved to the other side of the bed, repeating the process with her left leg.

"I wish I knew what to say to you to have you come back to me," Rick sighed as he bend her knee, his eyes never leaving her face, "What do you need to hear, Leah _mou_? What will help you break free of whatever's holding you prisoner?"

Placing her leg on the bed, he lifted her arm next, gently bending it at the elbow as something she had said to him once before flowed through his mind.

_You say you want to fall in love…but as long as you hold back, as long as you keep her to yourself, there's no room for me in your heart… Tell me what she was like, what made her smile, what made her angry. What did she look like? What was her name? How did you meet her? Why did you fall in love with her? Share her with me, Rick. Share your pain, your loneliness, your memories…everything that's a part of you, share it with me._

Rick took a deep breath as he slowly rotated Leah's wrist.

"We grew up together," Rick switched directions and repeated the exercise, "She was two years younger and a cousin five times over. That couldn't be avoided, being that those in the pack were the only of our kind."

Placing her hand on her stomach, he moved to the other side to repeat the elbow and wrist exercise on her right arm.

"I used to tease her like crazy. She was this funny little thing…a butterball with eyes too big for her face and too much hair on her head," finishing the set of ten repetitions for her elbow, he moved on to her wrist, "She was always so sensitive. Made me feel guilty when I would actually go too far and make her cry. Then I'd have to figure out how to make her smile before my father found out and punished me."

Finishing her wrist exercise, he placed her right hand on top of the left then shifted higher up on the bed, gently grasping her head to tilt it from side to side.

"She would follow me everywhere…it was annoying. That changed once I started high school. I had a couple of girlfriends and pretty much ignored her. Then I went off to college."

Rick kissed her forehead as the bedroom door opened.

Turning to look over his shoulder, he smiled, "Come on in _kyrio_. Come see if you can wake up your mama."

Gabriel pushed the door wide open and ran over to Rick, crawling up the bed to pat Leah's cheeks as soon as Rick had placed him on it.

"Mama! 'Ake up! Gabe wanna play," Gabriel leaned down to buzz Leah's cheek before snuggling to her side, his big blue eyes locked on Rick, "Mama sleep."

"I know son," Rick reached across Leah to brush back his thick dark hair, "Grandma's going to visit with Mama. Want to go to the beach and play?"

Gabriel nodded his head as he stuck his thumb into his mouth, sitting up before letting Rick pick him up.

Rick kissed his cheek before leaning down to let Gabriel give Leah a rather sloppy kiss.

"Gabe love Mama," Gabriel gave Leah another kiss before wrapping his arms around Rick's neck.

Rick kissed Leah's forehead, gently wiping away at the spittle left behind by their son, whispering into her ear before straightening up as Sue walked into the room.

"Thank you Rick," Sue smiled as Rick headed towards the door, moving to take his place by Leah's side, "I think Gabe's ready for a new playmate."

"Of course," Rick smiled at Sue, his eyes moving back towards Leah, "We'll be back in a few hours."

"You can drop him off at Emily and Sam's. She called to ask if he can spend the night and I said yes."

"Alright," Rick rubbed a hand across Gabriel's back, "Ready to go, _kyrio_?"

Gabriel nodded, giving Leah a lingering look before blowing a kiss at his grandmother in response to hers.

"'Bye Grama."

"'Bye Sweetie."

"'Bye Mama."

**The darkness was dragging at her, sucking her down, holding her captive in the inky bog of pain, loneliness and rejection.**

**She struggled to pull away, tried to remember why she felt the need to claw out of this hole…**

**Words. So many words. They didn't make sense, no matter which way they were strung together.**

**She was in over her head and she was tired of struggling…of fighting for something she couldn't remember.**

**Tired…so tired.**

**Another day.**

**She'll remember another day.**

* * *

_TEN DAYS_

Rick brushed his fingers through Leah's wet hair, having just been bathed by Sue, a part of Leah's care she refused to allow Rick to help in.

"Good morning _agape mou_," kissing her cheek, Rick brushed his thumb across her cheekbone before taking her right arm, "Time for us to do your morning exercises. We missed you last night…Seth stayed with us. Seems like Spastic's just as aware of your absence as Gabriel is. Needless to say, he wasn't much for playing last night."

Gently rotating her wrist clockwise, he studied her face, trying to see if there was any reaction.

When he didn't see one, he took a deep breath before continuing their one sided conversation, "When I came back after college, I was beyond surprised when I laid eyes on Ileana Kristianos for the first time in four years. She was nineteen and no longer a butterball…instead, she had curves in all the right places, blue-green eyes that looked like the Mediterranean Sea at sunrise and waist length hair, all loose curls and the color of gold."

Placing her hand on her stomach, he moved down the bed to exercise her leg, "I'll be honest with you. I was twenty-one, she was the embodiment of a pocket Venus…and all I wanted was to figure out a way to get her into bed. That entire year between college and grad school, I spent chasing after her," finishing the leg exercises, he moved to the other side and repeated the exercises on her left leg, "Ileana didn't make it easy for me. She was a sweet girl, still as sensitive as when she was a kid. I found out quick that she still had a thing for me…I'm ashamed to say I exploited that. I was an ass back then…kind of like the way I was when we first met."

Rick sighed as he placed Leah's leg on the bed, lifting up her arm, "Ileana changed me for the best. By the end of that year, I still hadn't gotten her into bed but I was hopelessly in love with her. She was so sweet…so trustworthy that I had no fear at giving her my heart. She never betrayed me…never once did anything to hurt me. I can't say the same for myself. I let her down many times…hurt her just as many…she always forgave me. My mother constantly accused me of walking all over her…told me I should find someone stronger, someone who wouldn't be afraid to stand up to me, to stand beside me, to be my equal. But my heart was set on Ileana."

Rick placed her hand on top of the other one, sitting still as he studied Leah's passive face, trying to swallow past the lump in his throat.

"Where are you Leah _mou,_" his voice was choked as he leaned down to rest his head against her chest, the steady beating of her heart reassuring him that there was still hope, "I need you…our son needs you…your pack…your mother…we all need you. Please come back."

**She could feel fresh breath enter her lungs, a shard of light piercing through the inky blackness, finally revealing the way out of the pit.**

**She felt her heart beating, her skin being touched. She felt something other than the grasping darkness surrounding her.**

**And that was hope for her…**

**Hope she would know where to find the freedom from this dragging painful darkness.**

* * *

_TWO WEEKS_

"Remember when I told you my hometown survived off of fishing and tourism? Majority of the pack were artisans, creating wonderful art that was sold to tourists as well as locals. My father was a welder…an exceptionally good one. Kristos, my second oldest brother, was a carpenter. Mother was a painter…some of her pieces can be found in galleries in Athens. Amery, my sister, was a potter," Rick gently rotated Leah's right ankle clockwise.

"Ileana…she was a glassblower. A really talented one. I enjoyed watching her work, even though I didn't know what she was doing, couldn't understand her vision until she completed whatever piece she was working on," bending her knee, Rick let out a sigh, "She loved her art and that's why she decided to stay in Loutsa instead of heading to Athens with me once I started grad school. Those three years were hard but we made it through letters and monthly visits. I proposed to her three weeks after graduation. She said yes then told me she wouldn't leave Loutsa. I understood why…it truly is hard to live without a pack…but even more so to move away from a pack you belong to. I know you can comprehend that."

Rick closed his eyes, resting Leah's foot on his lap as his fingers absently massaged the sole of her foot, "Her not wanting to leave Loutsa put me in a difficult situation because I had been offered a teaching position at a university in Athens. We agreed that I would commute back and forth…something that was easy for me to give in on because she always let me have my way…and I kind of got used to that. It's not an excuse but it kind of explains why I come off as selfish and self-centered…something I promise I will work on."

A knock on the door interrupted Rick. Placing her leg on the bed, he stood up and walked to the door, opening it to reveal Dr. Cullen and Sue on the other side.

"Hello Rick," Carlisle nodded at Rick before entering the room to head towards his patient.

"Dr. Cullen," Rick left the door open as he joined Sue on the opposite side of the bed from where Carlisle was standing.

They watched quietly as Carlisle took Leah's vitals, used a series of stimuli to try to get a response from her and then proceeded to change the IV drip bag, something he did every day.

"I'm afraid she's pretty much the same," Carlisle ran a cold hand down Leah's hot arm, noticing a slight twitch, "She is responding to certain stimuli," leaning down, he gently blew into her face, smiling at the twitch her nose gave, "See? That's definitely an improvement from last week. Her vitals are steady and you've done a wonderful job at avoiding bedsores and muscle atrophy."

"Rick exercises her limbs three times a day, as well as repositions her every two hours during the day…I do that at night," Sue sat down at the foot of the bed, running her fingers through her hair.

"That's really good. Keep doing that," Carlisle let out a sigh, "Unfortunately, I can see Leah's lost some weight. The markings on her fingernails let me know she's not getting the necessary amount of nutrients needed from the IV drip. Her metabolism is very different from a normal person's so I'm thinking of upgrading her to two drip bags at once…I can just piggy back the second one on the same drip line," Carlisle finally looked away from Leah and into Sue's eyes, "The thing is, if we hit the one month mark without any major reaction from her, we'll have to start discussing professional long term care."

"What would that involve," Rick placed a comforting hand on Sue's shoulder as she choked back a sob.

"Around the clock professional care…registered nurses, doctors. A gastro-intestinal tube would be put in place for her to get direct feeding…something she'll need soon…"

Carlisle stopped, the compassion he felt for them practically choking him, "This is something we don't need to discuss for another two weeks. Just keep doing what you're doing. The fact that she's responding to strong stimuli is a good sign."

Carlisle took out a second drip bag, quickly and efficiently joining it to the first one by connecting it to its' piggy back port before taking the rest of his equipment and silently exiting the room.

"Rick."

"Yes?"

"Would you…" Sue wiped a tear away from her cheek before looking up into Rick's face, "Would you give Gabe his lunch? Everything's ready in the kitchen. I'd like to spend some time with Leah."

"Of course," Rick moved to the head of the bed, bending over to kiss Leah's forehead before whispering into her ear.

**The light was getting brighter, a beacon in the darkness as she struggled to move towards it, the inkiness around her tugging her back, making her efforts feel like she was walking through mud.**

**A sudden coldness made her shiver. A painful sweetness shocked her into seeing something within the light…**

**A familiar face…**

**Eyes that held some emotion she couldn't place…begging.**

**His eyes were begging. But for what?**

**She fell back into the darkness as that question overtook her efforts.**

* * *

_SEVENTEEN DAYS_

Rick watched his son playing with his blocks, his quiet behavior unusual but already expected every time they brought him into the bedroom to visit with Leah.

Piling his blocks into a pyramid, he pulled one out from the bottom and watched the entire thing tumble down, a giggle escaping him before he looked up at his mother. Pushing away at his blocks, he scooted up to his mother, resting his weight on her chest as he looked into her face, leaning down to touch his nose against hers.

"'Ake up Mama," Gabe kissed Leah's mouth before lowering himself to her chest, his little arms spread across her, "Gabe want Mama."

"She'll wake up _kyrio_," Rick smiled at his son, smoothing a hand down his back, "We just need to keep reminding her that we're waiting for her."

Gabriel nodded, pushing himself up to look into Leah's face again, "Gabe here Mama."

Rick leaned down to whisper into her ear before sitting back, taking her hand in his.

"So am I _agape mou_. I'm still here as well."

**It was getting brighter inside the pit, making it possible for her to see what was in it from a different perspective.**

**The pain and loneliness wasn't as overwhelming as it had once been. Instead, she realized it had pushed her into becoming a stronger person. **

**That new awareness pushed her to struggle harder against these negative feelings and experiences pulling her back.**

**She heard a giggle coming from the bright light, her heart thumping as memories flashed through…toothy smiles, tight hugs, small hands patting her…**

**Her baby…**

**She needed to go back to her baby.**

**Soft words moved through the darkness, words that seemed to whisper to her very soul and remind her of something else…**

**Someone else…**

* * *

_THREE WEEKS_

"Our first two years after getting married were difficult," Rick brushed his fingers through her hair, holding her hand with his free one as he kept his eyes on her face, "Mostly because she wanted a baby and we couldn't seem to conceive."

Raising her hand to his lips, he placed a kiss to the back of it, "You see, although I had chosen to give Ileana my heart, the wolf in me wasn't willing to take Ileana as his mate. I know you've heard that wolves mate for life and that's true. That's a part of me that has belonged to no one but you."

Bringing her hand to hold against his chest, he brushed the back of his fingers down her jaw, "After two years, the wolf finally mated with Ileana's…I think only because she was the only one available and they were both hitting their maturity peak."

Sighing, he brought her hand down to rest on her stomach, rubbing her arm with the other one, realizing that every day, she seemed to be getting hotter and hotter.

"Leah _mou,_" Rick leaned down to whisper into her ear, kissing her cheek before he rested his head against her shoulder.

**She was almost there…she could feel the warming heat of that beaconing light. The farther she walked into it, the smaller and insignificant everything that was held within the pit became. **

**She was pulling herself out, bit by bit, the words that flowed around her serving as a rope for her escape.**

**She refused to fall back. **

**She was so close…she would get there…reach the light…hold her baby…touch the voice…**

**The whispered words lifted her up and she knew it was just a matter of time before she was ready…**

* * *

_TWENTY-FOUR DAYS_

"She was much happier after Nicolai was born…and even though the wolf took to Nicolai's wolf-form, we decided that Ileana wouldn't be joining him for the full moon. It was strange, but the wolf became somewhat hostile towards Ileana's wolf and I didn't want her to get hurt. It became clear from the first time around that my wolf wouldn't be mating with hers anymore."

Rick stopped exercising her leg, sighing as he studied her face, aching to see her beautiful brown-green eyes…

"I thought I was going to die the day I came home to find them all gone," Rick moved to the foot of the bed before taking her ankle and foot in his hands, slowly rotating it clockwise, "It felt like I had been ripped open and left bleeding…the two months I spent in Voltura numbed the pain…all I thought about then was revenge and getting my own back…it took me drunken months in New York to realize that I was still alone, still bleeding to death, still without my wife and son…"

Rick squeezed Leah's toes before placing her foot down on the bed and moving up to stretch out beside her, "Leah _mou_, although I still miss them and I ache for the way they died, what I felt then is nothing compared to what I'm feeling now at the possibility of not having you with me. Please wake up."

Resting his head against her chest, he took one of her hands in his, "I know I've told you our son needs you…I know that alone should be the reason for you to come back but…Leah…I need you…me…I can't breathe without you," kissing her cheek, Rick moved her hair away and whispered into her ear.

**She was close…so close to getting out of the pit.**

**Making a last mighty effort, she reached the warm light, felt it wash over her, tugging her gently further into it, filling her with heat and comfort and love…**

**Oh, if he would only say it…**

**He was ready to tell her the truth…**

**To tell her what she already knew…**

* * *

_ONE MONTH_

"It's been a month, Sue," Carlisle's voice floated down the hall and into the bedroom, the compassion he felt in every word.

Rick closed the bedroom door, moving across the bedroom and stretching out on the bed next to Leah, resting his head on her chest, her steady beating heart sounding loud in his ear, filling him with an aching sorrow at what had to be done.

"Leah _mou_," Rick pushed himself up on his elbow, using his free hand to brush his fingers over Leah's face, "Please come back. I need you…I…"

Burying his face into her neck, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him, "I love you. I really do…Leah, you're my soul and without you, I won't be able to live. Please. Please come back."

Rick sucked back a breath but the sob still escaped him, hot tears soaking into Leah's hair.

Feeling his heart break, he kissed Leah's face with a desperation he had never felt before, his tears flowing and his words low and husky.

"I love you…I need you…please come back to me."

Burying his face on her chest, he tried to regain control, holding still as he felt something soft brush against the side of his face.

Slowly pulling back, he looked down into Leah's beautiful brown-green eyes, seeing his soul in them, feeling a rush of sweet relief as she smiled up at him.

Leaning down, he softly kissed her lips, "I love you."

Leah wiped her thumb across his cheek, looking into his blue eyes, her soul looking right back at her.

"I know."


	59. Epilogue

**All characters except for Annabelle Causley and Frederick Randal Laskaris and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.**

**This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the **_Good__As Gone_** AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to **_Good As Gone_** but it does take place in that alternate storyline. **

**AN: Here's the end! Thank y'all for sticking through this story. If you loved Rick and Leah and would like to see their evolving relationship after this chapter, then read on to the Author's Note after this for a surprise!**

**Epilogue**

_One Year Later_

Leah watched as the waves crashed against the surf below her, the water glittering like many diamonds, the sweet scented breeze lifting her hair and brushing against her bare arms and legs.

The sky was slowly lightening; the sable blue was fading into a washed out blue that she knew would later become a hot blue, but it was too early in the morning for that.

Standing near the edge of the cliff, she heard the murmuring behind her and knew it would soon be time.

She smiled, looking down at the wildflower bouquet she held in her hands.

Years of pain and loneliness and angst…but finally, her dreams were going to come true.

* * *

Rick stepped out of the woods, wearing cutoffs and rubbed the towel Seth handed him over his wet hair.

Smiling down at his son, he crouched down to eye level, reaching out to tousle the dark silky hair of the two year old boy.

"Are you ready, _kyrio_," his smile widened as the little boy jumped up and down.

"Yes! Mama looks pretty!"

"She always does," Rick kissed Gabriel's forehead before straightening up to his full height, "I need to get dressed now."

"Here's your tux," Seth handed a garment bag to Rick, motioning behind him with his thumb, "And you can get dressed in there…Alice calls it the groom room."

Rick shook his head at Seth's laughter, chuckling as he walked into the dressing room-like tent, quickly pulling on the suit, socks and lacing up his shoes.

Walking out, he straightened his vest as the tent flap fell behind him. Turning, he watched Sam approach him, holding a single tiger lily bloom.

"Here," Sam quickly pinned the lily to Rick's lapel, "There. Just a few more minutes…she's waiting for you."

"She always has been," Rick brushed a finger across one of the lush petals before looking at Sam, "Thank you Sam. For loving her when you were able to."

Sam held out a hand, shaking Rick's "And I thank you...for loving her how she deserves to be loved."

"It's time," Gabriel ran up to Rick, throwing himself at his legs, the Uley twins coming behind him, "Mama's waiting and Grama says it's time."

"Alright then," Rick smiled down into his son's blue eyes, "Let's go. Hold on, _kyrio,_" crouching down, he straightened Gabriel's little bowtie, "You got the ring in your pocket?"

"Yes," Gabriel stuck his fingers into his pocket, pulling out a slim silver band and showing it to Rick, "Bailey wanted to play with it but I said no."

"Did not," Bailey glared at her cousin, her dark straight hair held back by daisy barrettes.

Rick reached out to stroke her cheek, thinking how cute the little girl looked in a soft butter yellow dress with embroidered daisies around the neckline and hem of the dress, "It's alright Bailey. Someday, you'll get one of your own."

"And I'm praying that someday is years…many, many years down the road," Sam muttered under his breath, "But it's time to go. Gabe, put the ring back in your pocket."

"Yes, Uncle Sam."

Rick straightened up, looking up into the morning sky.

It was time for him to get married.

* * *

It was a beautifully unique wedding…albeit somewhat strange for a few of the more traditional minded guests.

The small ceremony was held at the cliff, set for seven in the morning, where all the guests and the bride herself waited patiently for the groom.

As the sweet strains of a violin began, Rick stepped into view towards the back of the standing guests, Gabriel wiggling in place before him.

Gently touching his small back, he watched Emily as she moved towards them, her dress an exact replica of her daughter's. Reaching out to take Gabriel's hand, she held a bouquet of tiger lilies in her other hand as they walked down the aisle, the notes of the violin-piano duet Annabelle and Edward had composed especially for this day getting sweeter.

Rick stayed still, his eyes glued to the edge of the cliff, where an arch covered by tiger lilies, Alice had gone crazy once she found out they were Leah's favorite, marked the make-shift altar.

Once Emily and Gabriel reached the front, all the guests sat down, finally allowing him to see Leah as she stood with her back to him, the breeze playing with her hair, blowing over her bare shoulders.

Swallowing past the knot in his throat, he knew it was time for him to move.

Taking the first step should have been the hardest but to Rick, it couldn't have been easier. As he got closer, he felt his heart expand in joy, shedding light into his soul that expelled all the dark shadows, leaving nothing behind but love, contentment, comfort and peace.

Reaching Leah, he moved to stand next to her, looking into her bright brown-green eyes, beautiful eyes that no longer held any shadows of pain or sadness of broken promises, eyes that let him see his soul…taking her hand, he smiled at her, knowing she was seeing her own soul in his eyes.

Neither one paid attention as the minister moved towards them, standing with his back to the guests.

It was, indeed, a unique wedding.

* * *

Sam held Bailey and Bradley in his lap, smiling at his beautiful wife as she stood beside Leah as her matron of honor.

Thanks to Alice Cullen's creativity despite being across the country, the first part of the wedding was beautiful, the flowers abundant and the only actual decoration present. He knew for a fact that she had held herself back when it came to the ceremony…not so much when preparing the reception area down at First Beach.

But enough of that, Sam shook his head, his eyes moving to Leah and Rick, both staring into each other's eyes, their hands clasped together.

Leah looked beautiful in a simple off-white dress, a butter yellow sash tied at the bust line. The sleeves were short, the neckline wide and round, leaving her shoulders bare as her hair brushed against them, a crown of fresh daisies on her head in place of the tiara Bailey had wanted for her Aunt Leah.

The flared dress ended a few inches above Leah's knees, her long legs bare, butter yellow flat shoes on her feet. It was a simple dress but on Leah, it was beautiful…fresh and innocent.

Sam smiled, hugging Bailey to him, jostling Bradley a little to keep the wiggling boy from climbing down. The little boy still couldn't understand why Gabriel got to stand up with the others as Rick's best man, something Leah and Emily had thought was adorable, and he didn't.

Tilting his head to the side, he kept his eyes on the bride and groom as the minister prompted them to speak their vows.

* * *

Leah stared into his blue eyes, her heart beating slow and steady, the peace she felt within her glowing brightly as he looked back at her.

She barely heard the prompt to speak their vows, but knew she had to say them because she was about to explode with all that she was feeling.

"I was in love once," Leah kept her eyes on his as she slid the silver band Emily handed her, "And it was beautiful and horrible. When I met you…I lost my soul…because you became what kept me alive. Everything that has happened in my life…all the bad experiences, the painful words, the bitter tears…they were all worth it because they led me to you. And now…this is a beginning of a lifetime of smiles and laughter, of unconditional love and almost painful joy…because I'm starting it with you. I love you…not just with my heart, but with my soul…I will love you forever, even long after I stop breathing."

Rick reached up to brush his thumb against her soft cheek, wiping away the warm tear that had escaped the corner of her eye before leaning down to take the ring Gabriel held up for him. Taking her hand in his again, he slid the ring onto her finger.

"I was in love once," Rick smiled down at her, his heart beating hard in his chest, "I gave away my heart, not realizing that my soul would not follow. When I lost her, my world became darkness…but the moment I saw you…it all went away and it scared me…so I closed my eyes and pretended that nothing had changed…but I couldn't pretend forever because my world as I had known it was irrevocably changed…and I couldn't stay away from you. Finding you, I found my soul…it rests within yours. It always has…and I've realized, my heart has always belonged to you…as yours has always belonged to me…and although we've both loved others, we were destined to forever love each other…and I will love you forever…even long after I stop breathing."

The soft sobs and sniffles went unnoticed as the minister pronounced them husband and wife, the words "you may kiss the bride" barely out of his mouth as Rick cupped Leah's face in his hands, softly brushing his mouth over hers, sliding the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip before deepening the kiss, his arms wrapping around her as the guests applauded, the loud whistles coming from the pack members resounding throughout the crowd.

"Hey," Seth's loud voice came from the back of the crowd, "Enough of that! We've got a party to go to!"

* * *

The laughter, music and conversations blended together to create a cacophony so beautiful Leah thought she might start crying.

Alice had outdone herself, somehow managing to create a platform dancing floor, which had been ste up several feet away from the crashing surf, colorful Chinese lanterns strung above them, tables spread throughout the beach, the musicians on a small stage near the shore, tiger lilies everywhere.

The buffet table sat to the side, loaded down with food that was quickly being demolished by the guests, most of them being the pack members.

Leah laughed as she watched Collin pile several fried chicken drumsticks onto a plate before grabbing one more and biting down into it.

"Are you happy, Leah _mou_," Rick whispered into her ear, closing his arms around her from where he stood behind her.

"Very," Leah looked up at him, smiling as he kissed her nose, "Rick…what does _mou_ mean?"

"Mine," Rick nuzzled her cheek before kissing the corner of her mouth, "My Leah. My love."

Leah laughed as she turned in his arms, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he leaned down and kissed her, his tongue sliding over hers.

"Okay, I know you two are now married, but seriously," Seth came up besides them, Gabriel riding on his shoulders, "Anyway, time for the first dance."

Leah chuckled as Gabe pulled on Seth's hair, bouncing up and down, "I wanna dance with Mama!"

"Well, _kyrio_," Rick reached up and pulled Gabriel off Seth's shoulders, "How about we share the first dance?"

Gabriel gave Rick a narrowed look, biting his bottom lip as his blue eyes moved to Leah then back. After a long silence, he finally gave a nod, "'Kay. We share Mama."

Leah laughed as Rick took her hand, holding Gabriel in his other arm, moving them towards the dance floor. Helping her up the steps, he pulled her towards the middle of the dance floor, looking over her shoulder to nod at the band.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the lead singer of the band Alice had hired spoke into the microphone, "The first dance for Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Laskaris…and their son Gabriel."

Leah wrapped an arm around Rick's neck, the other one resting over the arm that held Gabriel. Leaning into his warmth, she whispered into his ear, "Are you happy, Rick?"

Rick watched as Gabriel patted Leah's cheek before resting his little head against his shoulder. Kissing Leah's forehead, he let out a sigh of contentment, "Very."

Their first dance was soon followed by a dance for Rick and Sue Swan, Leah and Charlie dancing next to them. Everyone laughed as Seth jumped up onto the dance platform, swinging a laughing Leah away from a clearly uncomfortable Charlie; the Frank Sinatra song being played all wrong for the constant twirling that Seth was doing to Leah.

"Seth! Stop! I'm gonna throw up," Leah laughed as Seth spun her, Paul keeping her from falling as he cut in. Before she could put a stop to it, Leah was being passed from pack brother to pack brother, all of them laughing as they kept her dizzy, twirling her back and forth.

Taking a deep breath as the world spun around her, Leah let out a squeal as she landed against a hard chest, strong arms coming around her. Looking up, she begged with a smile, "Please don't spin me anymore."

"I won't," Sam laughed as he slowly moved Leah around the dance floor to another Frank Sinatra song…as with the tiger lilies, Alice had gone overboard when she found out Rick liked Frank Sinatra, "You look beautiful Lee-lee."

"Thank you," Leah sighed as her head stopped spinning, looking over Sam's shoulder to see Rick dancing with Emily, "Sam…I'm sorry…for everything."

Sam pressed a kiss to the top of Leah's head, "So am I. But it's all forgotten. You're happy…truly happy. It's what really matters."

"So are you," Leah hugged him once the song ended, letting him lead her through the crowded dance floor where many of her pack brothers were making a nuisance of themselves to return her to Rick's side.

Rick and Sam nodded at each other as their wives hugged.

"I'm so happy for you Lee," Emily pulled back, wiping away her tears, "You look so beautiful."

"So do you," Leah grinned at Emily, giving her another hug, "Thank you…for standing with me."

"Always Leah," Emily stepped back as Leah moved into Rick's waiting arms, "I'll always stand with you."

Leah reached out and squeezed her hand just as an Uncle Kraker song began. Turning, she laughed as the dance floor cleared except for her pack brothers.

"Come on Sam," Seth yelled out as they all lined up, "Let's get it started!"

"I had nothing to do with this," Sam kissed Emily's scarred cheek before dragging his feet to join the rest of his pack; "They're making me do it."

Leah laughed as the lyrics began; watching her brothers moving to the song with well practiced coordinated moves. She couldn't help laughing hard, Rick's arms around her keeping her from collapsing on the floor.

_You don't know how you met me, you don't know why  
You can't turn around and say good-bye  
All you know is when I'm with you I make you free  
And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea, I'm singing_

_Follow me, everything is alright_  
_I'll be the one to tuck you in at night_  
_And if you want to leave, I can guarantee_  
_You won't find nobody else like me_

_I'm not worried 'bout the ring you wear_  
_'Cause as long as no one knows then nobody can care_  
_Your feelin' guilty and I'm well aware_  
_But you don't look ashamed and baby I'm not scared, I'm singing_

_Follow me, everything is alright_  
_I'll be the one to tuck you in at night_  
_And if you want to leave, I can guarantee_  
_You won't find nobody else like me_

_Won't give you money, I can't give you the sky_  
_You're better off if you don't ask why_  
_I'm not the reason that you go astray and_  
_We'll be alright if you don't ask me to stay_

_Follow me, everything is alright_  
_I'll be the one to tuck you in at night_  
_And if you want to leave I can guarantee_  
_You won't find nobody else like me_

_You don't know how you met me_  
_You don't know why, you can't turn around and say good-bye_  
_All you know is when I'm with you I make you free_  
_And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea, I'm singing_

_Follow me, everything is alright_  
_I'll be the one to tuck you in at night_  
_And if you want to leave I can guarantee_  
_You won't find nobody else like me, I'm singing_

_Follow me, everything is alright_  
_I'll be the one to tuck you in at night_  
_And if you want to leave I can guarantee_  
_You won't find nobody else like me, I'm singing_

_Follow me, everything is alright_  
_I'll be the one to tuck you in at night_  
_And if you want to leave I can guarantee_  
_You won't find nobody else like me_

"You guys are morons," she yelled out, wiping away her tears as everyone clapped, laughter ringing throughout the beach.

Rick shook his head, his laughter blending with Leah's as she tried to compose herself just as Seth bounded over to them, "We've got another one."

"No, please, don't," Leah grabbed her little brother's arm, "I'll pee my pants."

"You're not wearing any," Collin moved next to Seth, nudging Rick with an elbow, "Something I'm sure Rick's not complaining about."

Leah laughed harder as Rick turned to give Collin a narrow-eyed look.

"Boy, you're going to be fun," Collin shook his head, quickly dodging Rick's swipe meant for his head, "Too slow, old man. Come on Seth! There're some pretty girls over there that have that dancing bug look."

"I call the blonde one," Seth moved behind Collin, throwing a grin at Rick and Leah over his shoulder, "Alice called to let you know the jet will be waiting for you at the airport. You've got two more hours of partying to go before the Bentley comes around to pick you up."

Leah grinned back at her brother before turning back to Rick, "You really do need to learn to lighten up, otherwise, they're going to drive you crazy. They can get really bad."

"One of these days, I'm going to teach that puppy a lesson," Rick wrapped his arms around Leah, leaning down to nuzzle her throat; "We've still got two more hours…want to disappear for a while?"

"We can't," Leah pulled back and took his hand in hers, their fingers lacing together, "Mom's making motions that it's time to cut the cake."

Rick shook his head as he followed behind Leah, almost tripping as Gabriel ran across the dance floor, dodging the dancers before ramming right into his legs.

"Daddy! Bradley says I can't have cake," Gabriel looked up at Rick, laughing when he bend over and picked him up high against his chest, "I want cake…I helped Grama and Aunt Emily make it."

"You'll get some cake," Rick grinned at his son, watching as Sue hugged her daughter.

"Bradley can't have any," Gabriel frowned at his cousin, who was hanging on to Emily's skirts as she moved around the table where the cake was.

"Now, Gabriel," Rick gently turned Gabriel's face towards him, "If you don't learn to share, you'll never have anything. So will you share with Bradley?"

Gabriel's eyebrows lowered over his blue eyes, his natural inclination to refuse bubbling up but the hard work both he and Leah had put during the past year into teaching their son to share finally won out, "'Kay. Bradley can have cake."

Rick smiled at him, kissing his smooth cheek before placing him on the ground, "I'll get you a piece as soon as I get one for your mama, okay?"

"'Kay."

Rick moved to stand next to Leah, laughing as Sue prodded and poked until they were positioned the way she wanted them before the pictures began all over again.

Looking down at Leah, he noticed her bright eyes and flushed cheeks, her smile wide and pure, her obvious enjoyment at the celebration going on around them making her glow. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her tight, planting a smooching kiss on her smooth cheek as the photographer continued snapping pictures.

"What was that for," Leah looked up at him, laughing as he cocked an eyebrow.

"Okay, if I'm going to need an excuse to hug and kiss my wife, we might have to rethink this whole marriage thing."

Leah laughed, tugging his head down to kiss him, her mouth moving over his slowly, making his blood start to simmer.

"Time to cut the cake," Sue called out, everyone gathering around to watch as Leah and Rick sliced through the beautifully homemade cake, the only concession Alice had made concerning the entire affair. They feed each other, laughter taking over as Rick purposely smeared frosting over her lips, lowering his head to lick it off.

"By the love of all that's holy," Seth yelled out from behind his mother, "You need to stop mauling my sister in public. I don't care if she's your wife."

"Shut up Seth," Sue and Emily scolded simultaneously, the guests laughing as little Gabriel ran under the table, yanking at Rick's pants to get his attention.

"Whoa," Rick reached down to pick up the impatient little boy, "You're going to pull my pants down."

"Saves Leah from having to do it," Collin called out, laughing when Rick shot him a glare, "Relax Rick. Man, you take it worst than Sam when we used to rib him about Emily."

"You did what," Emily turned to give Collin a wide eyed look Collin, who had the decency to blush.

"Nothing honey," Sam wrapped his arm around Emily's shoulders, giving Collin a warning glare, "I think Collin's had too much to drink."

"Yeah, man," Paul shoved Collin, "You gotta stay away from the iced tea…too much sugar."

The laughter and good feelings continued as the cake was sliced, delicate crystal plates passed around to the guests. The dance floor was constantly in use, mostly by the pack, people talking and visiting with each other, Rick and Leah mingling amongst their guests, congratulations being offered time and again.

The two hours flew by and before they knew it, it was time to go. Their luggage was packed into the waiting silver-black Bentley arranged by Alice Cullen to pick them up. Good-byes were called out, good wishes were given, and everyone waved them off as the car pulled out and headed towards the airport.

Fun was had by all.

* * *

_One Month Later_

Rick sighed as he walked barefoot across the sand, the feeling of homecoming strong within him as he looked across the beach, seeing his wife and son playing in the surf, the breeze tossing Leah's hair as her laughter rang out.

Moving closer, he never took his eyes away from them, watching Gabriel as he chased the waves then quickly turned to run to his mother as the waves returned to chase him.

He smiled, remembering how Nicolai used to do the same. The sadness that came with the memory wasn't as sharp and cutting as it once had been, the serrated edges having been smoothed over by Leah's constant love.

"I kept my promise Lena," he whispered under his breath as he looked over his shoulder towards the woods, knowing that deep within them were the remains of what had once been his whole life, "I fell in love again. Just like I told you I would."

"Rick!"

He turned to watch Leah run towards him, her gauzy dress molding to her curves, "And she's nothing like you."

Catching her as she threw herself into his arms, he spun her around once before letting her feet touch the sand, looking down into her bright eyed flushed face, thinking there could never be a more beautiful woman alive.

"Are you okay," Leah looked up into his eyes, seeing a peace in them that filled her with joy.

"Yes," Rick pressed his forehead against Leah's, his nose brushing against hers, "I was just remembering…"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Rick kissed her softly, looking over at their son, who was still playing on the beach, digging a hole into the wet sand with his bare hands, "They were good memories."

"I'm glad," Leah kissed his chin before resting her head against his chest, her eyes on Gabe, "I've been thinking…"

"What have you been thinking about, _agape mou_," Rick rubbed his hand up her back, his fingers spearing through her silky hair.

"About us…having more children."

Rick stood still, knowing why Leah seemed so hesitant about what she had just revealed. To her, the memory of their first night was still shaded with fear. Having revealed these thoughts let him know she truly had thought it through, really wanted what she was asking him for.

"Are you sure Leah _mou,_" Rick pulled back, tilting her chin up to look into her eyes, seeing the steely resolve in them, wanting to chuckle because he knew the truth…this second time around, it wouldn't be a nightmare.

Leah took a deep breath, pushing away the echoes of horrified fear that came with that memory, "Yes I am."

Rick kissed her mouth, pulling her tighter into his arms, relishing the sweet taste of her kiss before pulling back, "We'll be back home in two nights…and there's a full moon the night after…if you're willing to start that soon."

Leah bit her lip, a blush blossoming across her smooth cheeks as she nodded, "Okay. That sounds good."

Rick chuckled, kissing the top of her head as she rested it against his shoulder, her arms tight around his waist.

He had found his resting place…his soul had moved to the very center of hers, finding an oasis where it could thrive and flourish, make him into a better man…

Never to turn back again.

* * *

_Full Moon_

The moonbeams turned the forest into bleached silver, the soft night noises around her doing nothing to calm her nerves.

She sat on her haunches by the river, having phased earlier than Rick so she could have some time to prepare herself for what would happen.

Rick had told her it would be something beautiful but she couldn't think past the whole concept of it, couldn't think about anything but they way it had been that first night, when she hadn't known if she had imprinted on a wolf or a man.

Hearing the soft steps of the wolf's paws brush against the forest ground, she tensed herself, wondering if she would ever learn to reconcile the two entities that made the one man she loved with all she had in her.

Pushing herself to her feet, she turned around as he approached her, his light blue eyes locked on her, his movements slow and graceful.

She could feel the heat coming off him, could see the desire to claim his mate in his eyes…but she was able to see something else, something she hadn't seen before…

And she finally understood why this one man had been chosen by Fate to become her very center.

She hadn't imprinted on the wolf, or even on Rick…no, she had imprinted on his soul, the one thing that bonded the two parts into one. A soul that reached out and touched hers, moved into hers and around her, holding her safe in its very center.

As she lowered herself to the ground, she closed her eyes, but not in fear or revulsion. She closed them as the beauty of finally becoming one, wholly one, with her imprint overwhelmed her.

This was the final step, the jump off the edge, the end all and be all of Leah Marie Clearwater Laskaris…

She moved into the very center of his soul, felt his soul move into the very center of hers…

Never to turn back again.


	60. Author's Note

**Howdy to my faithful readers out there! The story has come to an end and I must say that it saddens me yet fills me with joy on my characters' behalf. **

**I thank all my readers and reviewers for your constant encouragement to keep this story going. If it weren't for y'all, Leah and Rick would have gone mute, eventually leaving the room in my head where all my different characters reside. No, I am not crazy. **

**As I did with **_Good As Gone_, **here are the two songs that inspired this story, the first one becoming the title of this story. One is for Leah and the second one for Rick.**

_**Already Gone**__ by __**Sugarland**_

_My Mama mapped out the road that she knows  
Which hands you shake and which hands you hold  
In my hand-me-down Mercury, ready to roll  
She knew that I had to go_

_And hang out, make lots of noise  
And lay out late with a boy  
Make the mistakes that she made 'cause she knew all along_

I was already gone  
I was already gone  
I was already gone  
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on

They say the first time won't ever last  
But that didn't stop me the first time he laughed  
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met  
"Girl, don't you lose your heart yet"

_But his dark eyes dared me with danger  
And sparks fly like flame to a paper  
Fire in his touch burning me up, but still I held on_

_'Cause I was already gone  
I was already gone  
I was already gone_

_I was already gone  
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on_

The last time I saw him, we packed up my things  
And he smiled like the first time he told me his name  
And we cried with each other  
We split the blame for the parts that we couldn't change  
Pictures, dishes and socks  
It's our whole life down to one box  
There he was waving goodbye on the front porch alone

But I was already gone  
I was already gone  
I was already gone  
I was already gone  
I was already gone

_Hang out, make lots of noise  
And lay out late with a boy  
Make the mistakes that she made, life is a runaway train_

My mama mapped out the road that she knows  
Which hands to shake, which hands you hold  
In my hand-me-down Mercury  
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on

_**One More Try**__ by __**Timmy T.**_

_It's been a long time since you left me_

_I didn't mean to make you cry_

_I didn't mean to disappoint you_

_I didn't mean to tell you lies_

_And after all that we have been through_

_Won't you let me tell you why_

_One more try_

_I didn't know how much I loved you_

_One more try_

_Let me put my arms around you_

_Living all these lonely nights without you_

_Oh baby can we give it one more try_

_It's been a long time since I kissed you_

_It always used to feel so good_

_And if you knew how much I missed you_

_You'd forgive me if you could_

_And now that we have found each other_

_Can't we give it, one more try _

_One more try_

_I didn't know how much I loved you_

_One more try_

_Let me put my arms around you_

_Living all these lonely nights without you_

_Oh baby can we give it one more try_

**Now that Leah's story has been told, I have news for all of you who fell equally as sad as myself to see this story end…if you enjoyed Leah's story then let me tell you something amazing…someone else has been asking for their story to be told and I have decided to do it, which makes the third story of what I've decided to call my **_Gone Trilogy_**. **

**So who's asking for their own story, you wonder? No one else but our loveable, fun, carefree, full of life, imprint hater…Seth Clearwater!**

**Yes, the next installment, titled **_When I'm Gone_**, is Seth's story…and if you're wondering, yes, Leah, Rick and little Gabe will be a major part of this story…along with additional characters (after all, Rick and Leah are working at having another baby).**

**Special thanks to **_**hilja**_**,**_** 82c10akaLynn, Jada91, toshii519, oOFLAM3SOo,**_** and all my other constant reviewers that left me a review with almost every chapter..**

**Until the next story,**

_**HolyMae**_


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